The Mischief to be Managed
by Rose Yu
Summary: At the turn of 1977, the War is at its peak. Death tolls rising, soldiers on both sides breaking, and hope failing. Imagine all of that going on in your world and also being a hormonal seventeen year old at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. There has to be a little time for mischief, right? Jily, BlackXMcKinnon, RemusxDorcas. M for language, sex, and violence.
1. Chapter 1

**Prologue**

 _A/N: I decided to start again with my Harry Potter Marauder fic. I realized my previous one, Juvenescence, started too early in the story for me. Sometimes when I write I tend to have difficulty starting it, and I think I found a better spot. Also, I felt that piece was going off track. I felt like starting over. Plus, this semester was a whirlwind that I didn't have a chance to write peacefully or productively. I hope that readers will enjoy this re-vamped Marauders story with new twists and characters._

 _This is a heavy Jily story, but I also want to mention that it will also go into BlackXMcKinnon and RemusXDorcas (Heavily!). There will be references to drugs, drinking, and lemons so also be aware of that if any of that offends you. I hope you enjoy: please review, favorite, and follow if it suits you._

 _Cheers,_

 _Rose_

 _ **888**_

 **December 21st, 1981**

 _The Fallen of 1981_

By Hestia Jones

1981 has been the year of funerals. Many muggles, witches, and wizards have fallen this year due to the War that has just unexpectedly come to a close. My graduating year and my house have seen half of its members pass just in this year.

When editor-in-chief of the _Daily Prophet_ , Joana Henley, asked me to write this obituary, I was exceptionally hesitant for obvious reasons. It was not until I met up with Hogwarts' own Headmaster, Albus Dumbledore, did I feel strong enough to write this piece. Although the War may be over and won for now, we have seen many warriors fallen. This is a piece dedicated to the soldiers who fought in this terrible war.

 _Edgar Bones (Hogwarts - Hufflepuff Class of '75)_ \- Edgar Bones was on his way to becoming one of the youngest wizards to have a seat on the Wizengamot. At the tender age of twenty-four, Bones made his way through internships with the Department of Magical Law Enforcement. His youthfulness and innate sense of justice put him at the top of his peers. Despite his accomplishments, Pomona Sprout (Hufflepuff's Head of House) commented that Edgar was one of the kindest and warmest people she had ever known. On the side of achieving political acclaim, Bones was a part-time member of the Order of Phoenix. Apparently, the Order sent Bones on some of the most dangerous missions that included brokering many peace treaties with magical creatures a large sort of magical creatures. His last mission caused him to be targeted by Lord Voldemort's lead followers. His muggle wife, Michelle, and their two twin sons died with him in late July this year. The Bones' family now comprises of his younger sister, Amelia, who is a seventh year at Hogwarts, and his younger brother, Owen, a fourth year.

 _Caradoc Dearborn (Hogwarts - Hufflepuff Class of '77)_ \- Caradoc Dearborn was not only popular in his school days, but he also remained one of the most sought out wizards in the British community. After leaving his job as a mental health counselor at the Ministry of Magic, Caradoc joined the Order of the Phoenix as a full time member. He was in the Order until he was sent on a mission in March of 1981. Although there are rumors about what has happened to him, as a forever friend of Caradoc's, I believe that Caradoc died a hero, fighting for the justice he believed in. The Ministry still has yet to find his body.

 _The McKinnon Family -_ The McKinnon family is one of oldest and most well-known families in the Wizarding community. Not just in Britain, but in all of Europe. The McKinnon family is known for their prominence, wealth, and their head-banging parties thrown at their castle in Scotland. However, they should also be known for their love and appreciation of the arts. This was a family that did not discriminate based on blood; they believed in the power of music and harmony. The fire that destroyed their house and their family in early August did not burn down their family's respect. The members that were murdered were Mr. Malcolm ('47) and Makenna McKinnon ('48), and their children Maxwell ('72), McKinley ('76), Merna ('76), and Marlene ('78). Their youngest daughter Marlene was a full-time member of the Order of Phoenix.

 _Dorcas Meadowes (Hogwarts - Slytherin Class of '78)_ \- Dorcas Meadowes made her name as the Dark Lord's largest adversary, besides Dumbledore herself. No one knows exactly why He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named had it out for the twenty-one year old HitWitch. Maybe it's because she took out 7 of his best followers, or maybe it's because she was one of the few muggle-born Slytherins ever. The possibilities are endless, but Dorcas Meadowes is a name not to be forgotten.

 _Peter Pettigrew (Hogwarts - Gryffindor Class of '78)_ \- Peter's death truly was an unexpected and true act of martyr-ship. Although in his school days, he was considered to be rather cowardly and slight in his magical abilities. He proved himself through Gryffindor courage when it counted the most. He stuck up for his friends when no one else thought to. Thank you, Peter Pettigrew.

 _Lily Potter (Hogwarts - Gryffindor Class of '78)_ \- In her school days, Lily Evans proved herself to courageous, intelligent, and kind. Not only was she Prefect and Head Girl (also my idol), but she proved to be a comforting voice to those scared or in need. She kept those qualities in the darkest of times and did everything in her power to protect the ones in her life. She was not above fighting, but she did not believe in senseless violence. She and her husband defied and left her mark on He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named, angering him beyond belief. Lily Potter defended her son until the end - the boy who lived. Her love and her warmth will never be forgotten.

 _James Potter (Hogwarts - Gryffindor Class of '78) -_ A Day One TroubleMaker from the beginning, and this courageous troublemaking led him to making him a great Order Member. James Potter conducted the Night Raid on the Knights of Walpurgis in 1980 and fought proudly at the Battle at Big Ben earlier in the beginning of this year. Along with his wife, the Potters proved to be a family of noble warriors.

Instead of looking at how tragic their deaths are, I believe that each one would rather us look at them as a symbol. A symbol of power, for fighting in what you believe in and for courageous youth.


	2. Chapter 2

_Hi all,_

 _Sorry I've been MIA - holiday season is hard and all! But please stay tuned for the first (real) chapter of this fic! I hope you enjoy it; please review, follow, and favorite if it so moves you. I would really appreciate it._

 _Please note that this is Jily, BlackKinnon, RemusXDorcas!_

 _Happy Holidays,_

 _Rose_

* * *

 **December 21** **st** **, 1976**

Identical brunette twins practically strutted down the stairs to the Great Hall with folded paper stars gently floating behind them. With a nod of either head, a star would trail off and drop into the hands of an unsuspecting student (only those above the age of sixteen, of course). The Prewett twins gave a wink to each student that received one, emphasizing the star's secrecy.

"Looking good as per usual, Morley," smiled the one with the beard, Fabian.

"As do you, Hilford," winked the one with the freckles, Gideon.

The two fifth year hufflepuff students giggled as the twins walked past them. They opened up their stars quickly, peeking around to make sure that no professors (or Peeves) were watching. Inside their stars said:

 _Astronomy Tower - 9:30pm. Tell no one… or else._

The twins walked into the Great Hall for the last super of the term. The ceiling was a foggy gray, like a storm was about to come, but beautiful flurries seemed to trickle down as well. The christmas decorations were as festive as ever, and there were laughs up and down the hall. For a moment, it seemed like there wasn't a war outside of these castle walls.

The last two stars dropped beside the plates of two Ravenclaw sixth years. And just as they did, a bright white flash from the other side of the room distracted the Prewett twins for making eye-contact with pretty Marie Macmillan and Elizabeth Washworth. Both of the twins rolled their eyes when they saw that they were being caught on camera by little Peter Pettigrew with ruffled brown hair, big eyes, and a chubby face. The friend beside him with jet black hair and round glasses waved over to them. That was James Potter.

They turned their backs awkwardly at the pretty girls and sulked over to the Gryffindor table. "You're ruining our advertisement business, Pettigrew," grumbled Fabian. "Also, who said you can take pictures of us talk to girls, ay?"

"Hey now," scolded an incredibly handsome boy with bright skin, a charming smile, and shiny black hair. He had a mouthful of mashed potatoes sloshing around in his mouth. "Only _we_ \- " the boy motioned to the four immediate students - "are allowed to ridicule and chastise Peter. Got that, Prewett?"

Peter couldn't help but let out a small, but proud smile as he reset his camera. "I thought you would like it for your senior yearbook, Fabian," he added.

"And I would want one from you, why?" Fabian glared, causing the boys (including his own twin) to look at him questioningly.

Gideon patted his brother's shoulder as he took swig of his pumpkin juice. "Now, now, other half, no need for moodiness. I know the weather can affect your mood sometimes-"

"So what if I get pleasure from seeing the sun," he countered loudly, "it's good for my beard highlights."

"- And that's not a reason to get pissy with poor Pettigrew," Gideon finished sternly. "Now eat something before I need to give you chocolate."

Fabian imitated his brother as he began to pour himself some pumpkin juice.

James leaned forward and said in his most diplomatic voice, "We're just interested in whom you are intend to invite to this rather large shindig? Hope you're inviting the right crowd?"

Fabian snorted. "I didn't take Potter as a blood supremacist-"

"My friend means Slytherin students," said the boy who had been quiet the entire up until now. He had shaggy auburn hair, dark green eyes, and a distinct scar. Remus Lupin was skimming through today's _Daily Prophet._

Fabian paused. "Right, I'll be quiet now."

"We did invite a few Slytherin students though," noted Gideon. "Just two actually."

James sucked his teeth. "Ah, come now, Prewett. Slytherins are just going to end up ruining the party. And they all talk, so they're all going to know."

"When I say two, I meant to Vanity and Meadowes," Gideon explained.

The Marauders paused, even Remus popped his head up from his newspaper. Their eyes simultaneously shifted from the twins and roamed over to the table furthest away from them. They spotted a group of two girls sitting over towards the end of the table.

"Interesting nest of birds to choose from," murmured Peter.

Sirius scoffed. "Actually a rather nice choice. They're rather nice to look at. And not the worst Slytherins on the planet."

James deadpanned at his best friend. "Do you hear yourself now, Padfoot? I reckon that sounds like fraternizing with the enemy."

"I'll fraternize with the enemy any day if it meant fraternizing with birds like them," Sirius barked with a loud laugh.

"You weren't saying that when Meadowes nearly knocked you out during the game in October," frowned James, trying to continue his point.

The boys peered back at the Slytherin girls. The Marauders actually somewhat respected those two, often citing them as the strongest players on the team. Emma Vanity, a sixth year, was the Quidditch captain and the team's keeper. Dorcas Meadowes, also a sixth year, was one of the team's beater. Despite her slight physique, the girl had quite the arm.

"None of them will talk," Gideon said passively. "Also, Fabian is trying to get a quick shag in with Vanity before she leaves."

"Where is she going?" Remus asked curiously.

"Rumor has it she's dropping out," Peter noted.

"I heard it's true," said Fabian. "And that's why I'm not letting a girl like that just walk out these castle doors without being worshipped properly."

James shifted his glasses uncomfortably and let out a long breath.

"What's wrong with you, Potter?" asked Gideon. "I've never seen you so uneasy before."

"He just doesn't want Snivellus to join the party," noted Peter. "And I don't blame him." Peter put his hand up for a pound, which James responded less than enthused.

"Ah, because then you'll end up making a fool in front of yourself for Evans again, innit?" Fabian smirked, waving his fork at him knowingly. "You two would make a teenage girl's radioshow dreams."

James smiled for a moment because the thought of a sappy radioshow happy ending seemed pretty nice. But he immediately shook it out of his head, like he had been doing so far for the entire term. "I have barely spoken ten words to Evans this year, thanks," he countered defensively.

"And those words have been quite loud and _mean_ ," murmured Remus as he flipped the page.

"I'm trying to have as little interaction with her and Snape. I don't intend to start now."

"So does that mean Evans isn't invited either?" Gideon asked, raising a doubtful eyebrow.

James shrugged. Ever since they had all come up with the idea for an end of the term party, scenarios played through James' head like a movie. They'd see each other at the party, Lily Evans would a) glare at him for the whole night; (b) dazzle him beyond belief with that fucking angelic face of hers, causing him to do something irrational and idiotic that would cause her to then glare at him; or (c) completely ignore him _._ Neither option sounded splendid. He wished that somehow Lily Evans would somehow not be finished with her end-of-term essays and not be able to attend. But then again, who are we talking about? The two had managed to keep a considerable distance the last three months, but even that was difficult. James and Evans had several NEWT classes together: potions, charms, transfiguration, and DADA, He tried not stare at her as she bite her lip while concentrating, or push back her fire-red hair showing off her creamy neck. It felt impossible, but it was doable.

"And it's okay if we invited Greyson too?" Gideon asked curiously. "I mean it is helpful to have the Head Boy on your side."

"Might need to retract all those floating stars at this rate," grumbled Fabian.

James tried not to cringe at the thought of seeing Evans and Greyson together. He already saw the new couple fawning around each other enough in the Gryffindor Tower; he didn't need it on this night too. "Yeah, I guess it would be good for Greyson to come too," sighed James, as he put his hands behind his head.

"Mate," Sirius said as he took James' glass of pumpkin juice and lowered it under the table. He peaked around, keeping an eye out for any professors (or Peeves), before popping the top to his flask and pouring his fire whiskey into James' glass. "Get a little pre-game in now. It'll be good for you." He slammed the cup back down and gave his friend a bright smile.

James looked at it unsteadily. He sighed and prayed to whichever God he didn't believe in that this was going to be a decent night. He didn't want anymore trouble because the world was already going to shit as is. "Well, Cheers, Boys," he said before tipping his glass off to his housemates.

* * *

Marlene McKinnon was a strange, yet kind housemate and friend. She was loyal, creative, out-spoken, and a hoarder of muggle stuffed animals. However, she had some quirks.

Like being a hundred-percent okay with her own nudity in front of any audience.

"Marlene!" squeaked Mary MacDonald squeaked as Marlene arose from the bathtub. The Hufflepuff sixth year hid behind her own bushel of black curls. Mary had the face of a baby with a little bit of chub still on her cheeks, soft brown skin, and square black glasses. "Merlin, have some decency, will you?"

"It's not like anyone is here," Marlene said dismissively as she reached for her lotion.

The blond had a point. The seventh floor girls bathroom was only inhabited by four girls currently: naked Marlene McKinnon, uncomfortable Mary MacDonald, amused Emmeline Kim, and uninterested Lily Evans. The four friends often met up in this specific bathroom for their catch up sessions. It sucked that they were split up by houses (Marlene and Lily in Gryffindor while Mary and Emmeline were in Hufflepuff), but they still had managed a long lasting friendship since the end of their third year.

Marlene lathered her body with lotion unabashed. She had an athletic body due to years of Quidditch, sapphire blue eyes, and a silver bar piercing her left ear. She asked her Hufflepuff friends, "So, are you two going tonight?"

Emmeline shrugged, flipping her dark hair over her shoulder. "I might if I finish my Divination analysis. I can't seem to get this tea-reading." She was a sweet-looking girl of Korean descent with wavy black hair, cat-like eyes, and pouty lips.

"A reading Emmeline can't read," Marlene said mockingly with a smirk.

"I can tell you this much, McKinnon, it says you need to put on underwear," countered Emmeline, looking at her appraisingly.

"I love my body, thank you."

"All for self-love, Marlene, but enough is enough. I'm only sixteen - I don't want to go blind."

Marlene let out a laugh as she waved her wand at Emmeline. The tip of her wand splashed water onto Emmeline's legs. "All right, Playboy Bunny, do what you want," Emmeline said, retracting her legs just in time. "Just not my leaves. I need to keep the leaves exactly as they were!"

"What about you, Mary?" Marlene asked. "Going to take off the glasses and let loose for once in your life?"

"I need to finish my Creatures essay," insisted Mary, giving her friend a pleading look.

"Oh, you two bums! It's our last hoorah of the term, let's get drunk and make horrible choices," Marlene shouted, raising both of her hands up high as if she were on a rollercoaster.

"Underwear," Mary begged.

"Only if you indulge me, MacDonald, you deserve it! Stop working so hard," pleaded the blond. Mary gave her friend a dismissive look as Marlene then pointed to Lily. "And that goes for you too. You're done with finals, right?"

Lily held up a flask, eyes still glued on the newspaper. "Beat you to it, Marls," she said coolly as she jiggled the flask lightly.

Marlene, Mary, and Emmeline looked at their friend with round eyes. Lily Evans was not shy in terms of drinking, but it was only six o'clock which was pretty early for the ginger prefect.

"That's my girl," Marlene said as she slipped on her cotton underwear. She stalked over to Lily and sniffed the flask. "Firewhiskey and pumpkin juice, a favorite of yours." She took the flask and took a considerable swig. Once she put the drink back in Lily's hand, Marlene finally saw what Lily had been reading all along.

 ** _Five Dead in Essex - a Muggle-Born Family's Home Bombed_**

"Merlin, the third in the month," Marlene cringed. She noticed Lily's passive expression, but knew that underneath that attempt to seem cool and collected, she knew that Lily was torn up inside feeling as if she should be doing more to help end these attacks. "Stop staring at it, you're going to make yourself sick," she added snatching the newspaper away.

Lily didn't even try to fight her friend. "It's getting worse," She groaned.

Marlene nodded, "it is." She grabbed her T-shirt and slid it over her head. She didn't know what else to say.

"And it's probably going to keep getting worse," Emmeline added.

Marlene snapped her head at Emmeline and glared, "For a future seer, we must work on your timing, Emmeline."

Emmeline tilted her cup so that Marlene could see the tea leaves. She sighed and said in a grave voice, "Can't control time. It's just what the leaves say." She pointed to the intricate outline at the bottom of her cup. "It looks like a bird - a big one - coming at you. So, maybe that's a falcon. It's holding up something small and circular, maybe a ball. This long line at the lower end of the 'ball' gets slightly bigger towards the end, which could be a bat. So, maybe it could-"

" _Today_ would be lovely," glared Marlene.

Emmeline let a short breath. "Falcon, skull or head possibly, and a club mean a deadly enemy, upcoming danger, and attacks. It's only going to get worse," she said exasperatedly.

"Smashing," Mary said, faking a chipper voice.

"If the tea message is so clear," Lily said before taking a sip of her alcoholic concoction, "then just imagine what it's going to look like in real life."

Marlene grabbed the flask out of her hand. "Okay, no more of this," Marlene said quickly, "you're now really going to make yourself sick." She screwed on the top and put it down. "Yes, it's fucking scary outside these walls right now. It's terrifying, but right now, we are safe. Dumbledore would never let Hogwarts get harmed by the War in anyway. We are also sixth years who are done with their hardest term ever and we deserve to be a happy about that. So, I beg of you three to try and chipper up instead of forecasting our deaths-"

"I never said anything about deaths," Emmeline countered defensively.

"-And staring blankly at newspapers," Marlene went on determinedly, "and to come out tonight and just for a second forget about what could happen and think about what's happening to us, right now!"

The three girls exchanged glances.

Lily snatched back her flask and said, "I'm coming out, Marlene, and you're just misinterpreting my pre-gaming."

Marlene gave her a look before turning to the others. "I hope to hear the same from you two. In precisely four hours, I expect you to be dancing on the telescopes of the Astronomy Tower."

And on the telescopes they were, dancing their souls out to the radio blasting through the Astronomy Tower.

Four hours later from their conversation in the bathroom, Mary and Emmeline were eight shots of fire whiskey deep into the night. The moment they finished their homework, they took a few shots of Firewhiskey in a row and just went on from there. Now, they were the main attractions at the party, which was smashing by the way.

Fabian and Gideon Prewett set up the whole shindig with floating shinning paper stars, glistening almost like disco balls. There were snacks out, but were mainly gone by this point, and a heavy-duty silencing charm placed on the tower. So, far everything was going according to plan.

"Well done,Ttwins," Sirius said, clapping them both on their backs as he walked up to them with the rest of the Marauders. "You managed a very decent party."

"Your compliments mean the world to us," Fabian said dryly.

"It's true," James added. "Everyone looks like they're really enjoying themselves."

"And the slytherins are doing just fine," Gideon pointed out. He nodded his head over to Vanity and Meadowes, both looked lovely, standing by the balcony. It looked like they were having a very important conversation.

"You talked to Vanity yet?" Peter asked curiously.

Fabian shook his head. "I'm waiting for the _moment_ ," he said dreamily, causing the surrounding boys to look at him doubtfully.

Sirius, who was paying very little attention, patted himself down in search of his cigarettes. Once he seemed to be at a loss, he looked to James and asked, "Oy, bum me a cig?"

James shook his head. "Sorry, Pads, I'm all out."

Sirius cursed under his breath and then shrugged. "Well, no better way to start up a conversation and a potential one-night stand than the mutual decay of one's lungs. Ah, there's McKinnon, she might have one." Sirius stalked over to the blond, who was surrounded by fellow Gryffindor members, with Peter at his side.

James was about to make a quip about how Sirius better keep his hands to himself when talking with Marlene, but he realized that he was all alone now. Remus' attention was focused elsewhere, specifically on the cute Elise Martin, a fifth year in Ravenclaw. They were talking by the punch bowl, looking quite intimate. Although he was proud of his friend, James' chest felt rather empty now. He made his way over to the snack bar to hoard whatever was left: a few crumbles of pumpkin cookies, chip crumbs, and few jellybeans. He stuck his hand in for a few jellybeans and picked out the least nasty ones, which meant strawberry and lemon. He popped them in his mouth, but nearly choked on the swallow when he saw Lily Evans.

Truthfully, James hated the power one girl had over him. Just looking at her made something in his body twitch. He could never act right in front of her, never show the self he really wanted her to see. But, it seemed like Lily Evans wasn't seeing anything clearly at the current moment.

Lily's face was as red as her hair; her eyes were barely open; and she was holding securely onto her flask. She slid down against the wall and took another swig before ruffling her hair out of her face. Even batshit drunk, Lily Evans still managed to look lovely.

Lily looked up at James, noticing his staring. She tried to glare, but it looked more like a lopsided smile. "What, Potter? Never seen a girl drunk before?"

James tried not to laugh because he wouldn't even try to tempt Evan's fury, even when drunk. He just gave her one of the famous Potter smiles and said, "You look a little more than drunk, Evans."

Lily shrugged, "You're probably right. Would you care to take some away from me?" Her head slung down into her knees as she raised her arm up to pass him her flask.

James leaned down to take the flask. He sniffed it once and grimaced. "Bloody Hell, Evans, what's that?" He asked curiously. It smelt stronger than most liquors he had tasted before, and that was quite a few.

"Tequila," Lily murmured looking up. "Muggle alcohol."

James looked at it questioningly, causing Lily to chuckle under her breath. She smirked at him, another crooked one. "Can't take a muggle drink, Potter?"

James snorted. "Evans, I'm the King of Firewhiskey, if you recall. I've had that title since our fourth year, thank you very much." He added in a bow at the end, which she seemed to like.

The redhead laughed, "Yeah, I do. You also threw up that night, and we heard you hurling for hours."

James slid down beside her and took a cautious swig of Tequila. It stung as it went down, and unfortunately, he felt no rush of confidence like he did with Firewhiskey, but he did feel considerably looser.

"That's foul," James stated matter-of-factly.

Lily shrugged, "It gets the trick done when you're trying to not feel… well, feelings."

The statement took James off-guard, so he took another swig to fill the awkward air. "What's wrong with you? You finished finals, Miss Prefect, and you're about to go home for christmas break. You should be celebrating. I mean, look at your mates. Mild MacDonald may be the hit of the party tonight."

This was true. Mary's glasses were off and she was singing loudly in accordance with one of The Beatles songs.

Lily patted James' shoulder. "And here we are concerned with our marks, getting smashed, and a savior baby when the world we currently live in is going to complete shit," she said before snatching back the tequila. She took a large gulp and shook her head as she swallowed. "Oh that may have been the one." She looked up to the ceiling and for a moment looked like she was praying.

"The one what?" James asked, feeling the effects of the alcohol rubbing off on him finally. He always got horny when drunk; it was like an itch that needed to be scratched. But Lily Evans was no mere itch. She was like walking into a field of poison ivy. Just having a conversation - a relatively peaceful one too - made him loose his mind. Her hair flowed down her skin, and her plump lips were slightly parted. What he would do to just feel them once against his own.

"The sip that will probably lead me to bad decisions," Lily explained coolly. She turned to him and opened her eyes slowly. James felt himself suck in a breath when those emerald eyes looked into his. He felt himself being sucked into her and let out an audible gulp. After a moment, the ginger titled her head, like a curious puppy.

"W-what?" James asked, trying not to sound overly cautious.

Lily pointed at him and wagged her index finger at him a little. "You, James Potter, rich class clown Marauder, have beautiful eyes underneath those foggy specks of yours."

75% of James wanted to grab her by the back of the neck and finally know what those soft red lips tasted like, and 25% of James also recognized that this must've been a dream. A perfectly wonderful dream that his unconscious concocted to simply fuck with him.

Instead of reacting in the way he wanted by saying something charming or complimenting her back, James instead insulted her. Like the idiot he was. James took away her flask and tsk-ed her when she tried to take it back. "Ah, ah, ah, Evans, it seems like you is clearly in need of water, muggle advil, and at least twelve hours of sleep because you just gave me a compliment."

"No, no, don't misunderstand" Lily countered. "It was simply a statement of fact. Like, for example, I have nice eyes, at least I reckon or I have nothing else going for me."

"You have stunning eyes, Evans."

Lily raised an eyebrow at the brutally honest statement. Despite being several drinks in, Lily had a perfectly good radar that could detect Potter Bullshit from a mile away. She knew when he was joking, being sarcastic, and when he was being completely honest. And there was honesty in his voice that made her heart rate spike for just a moment. She mentally blamed it on the alcohol.

So, she reached over and pulled the flask away from him and said, "Seems like someone also has been drinking a little too much because you almost sounded genuine."

James straightened up and said, "It was."

Lily squinted her eyes at him and decided to take another swig. "Well, if James Potter is being genuine, I obviously need to re-hydrate myself with some water," she said crassly. She tried to stand up, but nearly toppled forward. Luckily, she felt strong hands steady her, squeezing her hips to make sure she would no longer fall. And of course, when Lily Evans was drunk, she felt the insatiable need to snog. And her hips were a complete sore spot for her; her face was flushing even harder now. Tequila was not to blame this time.

"Are you okay?" James asked, standing up beside her. His hands still on her hips, almost massaging them.

Lily straightened up and tried to think. She wanted to slap herself for thinking such things, especially about bloody James Potter. Master of mean pranks, crude jokes, and womanizing. Also, the destroyer of friendships, or so she liked to blame on him sometimes whenever she felt close to forgiving Severus. Merlin, no more tequila for her.

"I'm - uh - I'm-"

"Lily!"

James and Lily both looked up and saw that Connor Greyson, Gryffindor Head Boy, was running over to the two. He had dark skin, short black hair, and a kind face. He slowed down when he saw that James had his hands on Lily and gave him a questioning look. "Potter, what're doing to my girlfriend?" Connor asked shortly.

James looked down at Lily and analyzed the physicality of the situation they were in. He gave a small smile towards his Head Boy and said, "Well, it's not what it looks like."

Lily smacked James' hands off of her hips. She stood up straightly and blinked a few times, regaining her sense of sobriety. "Potter was just helping me up," Lily explained casually. "Want some tequila?"

Connor gave his girlfriend a small hug and said, "I'm all right, Love." He then looked back at James with a blank face and said, "Good looking out, I s'pose, right, Potter?"

James saluted his Head Boy, not wanting a detention in line for him when they all returned back from the break.

Lily looked back at James and shook her flask. "Have fun, Potter."

"Likewise, Evans," James nodded as the redhead and her boyfriend turned around. Once they were gone and headed back towards another group of Gryffindors, he leaned against the wall and let out a long sigh. Maybe 1977 would bring in some good luck, because James Potter actually had a decent conversation with Lily Evans. He couldn't help but smile.


	3. Chapter 3

**Still December 21** **st** **, 1976**

Connor Greyson tried his hardest not to seem jealous, because despite the messages from all the romance novels and radio-dramas, no girl really liked a man who was jealous. Especially his girl, Lily Evans. He lucked out with Lily honestly; it took him months to ask out the ginger. Besides the fact that she was beautiful with that wavy mane of fire red hair, shinning eyes, and the slightest dash of freckles, Evans was one of those genuinely decent human beings. She was clever, quick-witted, loyal, and truly kind. He figured this much out in just a month of dating her so far. Connor knew that there were a long list of male students at the school who would die to take her on a date. One of those men was James Potter.

Now, oppositely, Connor knew that there were lines and lines of girls waiting to date the Gryffindor Quidditch Captain who was filthy rich, exceptionally charming (even McGonagall has somewhat fallen for the bloke), and actually rather handsome. James Potter did have an awkward stage, like most teenagers, but once he came back this academic year, he was something else. He grew about twelve centimeters, bulked out, and even managed to find the perfect combination of tousled and sleek for his jet black hair. And even though Connor knew that Lily considered Potter to be an arrogant prick; he would still find himself wondering if Lily would ever re-consider James' date offer. Not that the two talked at all in the term, or so he believed.

Currently, Lily was gulping down a tall glass of water that he had brought her. They were sitting by themselves, and he had one hand rubbing hers. "You feeling alright?" He asked warmly.

Lily nodded with a smile and wiped the remnants of the liquid off her mouth with the back of her hand. "I'll be fine, Connor," she said reassuringly. "I can boot-and-rally quite well."

Connor nodded, "Let's hope there won't be any booting, just rallying."

Lily smiled and shook her glass of water. "Working on it," she added before taking another sip.

After a moment Connor found himself looking at Potter again, who was now talking to Remus Lupin. Another fellow who would probably like to ask out his girlfriend. Although Lupin was perhaps too shy or too friendly with Lily to actually make advances. Connor could feel his stomach twist. "Well," Connor asked, attempting nonchalance, "You and Potter seemed rather friendly."

Lily gave him a questioning look. "Connor," She said in a stern voice, "the only time that my identity, Potter's, and the word friendly should come together in a sentence is when the word _not_ is also in there."

Connor couldn't help, but smile at that. "You know he's still into you, right?" He asked.

Lily sipped more of her water. "I've heard mixed reviews on that."

"He looks at you the same way he did last year, and the year before, and the year before that."

"Like a piece of meat that he's ready to try out for the first time," Lily scoffed, "How romantic."

"He looks at you like he wants to do nothing else, but, well, look at you."

Lily rubbed her chin because well, what else do you say to that. It wasn't true, of course, but Connor didn't believe that. She had seen first hand the way James Potter can treat girls: charm them, shag them, and toss them aside. Even if he had been looking at her like that for the past how many years, she was not interested. She pressed a quick kiss to her boyfriend's warm cheek, flushed from his own alcohol consumption. "Connor," Lily said in a soft voice, "Marlene is James' cousin as you are aware of. Now, she spent the entire summer with him and explained to me in great detail the many escapades he's had with women. He's over me, and that's why he hasn't spoken more than ten words to me the entire term. He's not into me; I'm not into him. Simple."

"Just because he's shagged other girls doesn't mean he's not into you, Lil."

Lily gave a dramatic shrug. "Either way though," Lily said taking his face into her small hands, "I don't want to be with James Potter. I want to be with you." She leaned in for a kiss, and Connor reciprocated. He would have to trust Lily's words for now.

* * *

"Did I see you talking to Lily?" Remus Lupin asked eagerly as he stepped over to his friend, sipping on his own drink. "And without tearing each other a part?"

James Potter rubbed his chin, and looked over to Evans and Greyson. She was holding him, lovingly. An expression he had never seen before on her. It looked good. "Truthfully, I'm not quite sure," James said, still relishing the moment he had with her. "She may have been insulting me to my face, but said it in a nice enough tone."

"Often times, you can tell when Lily is not being genuine," Remus explained insightfully, "she wants you to know." Out of all the Marauders, Remus and Lily were the closest by far. They had become rather close when they were paired up as study partners for their third year History of Magic course.

James didn't know how true that was. That girl was harder to read than an Arthimancy Textbook. He looked over to Remus, who looked rather radiant, and couldn't help but smirk. "Did you just talk to Elise Martin, without ripping each other's clothes off?" James asked, changing the topic.

Remus scoffed as he passed James the flask. "Prongs, you know I'm a one-night stand kind of a man," he said in a matter-of-fact voice.

"A two-night stay may be good for you, Moony," commented James. "You're allowed to break your rules every once and a while, you know?"

Remus shook his head determinedly. "No, those rules are good rules," Remus said coolly, "I only break rules with you, Sirius, and Peter. That's my time for that."

James laughed. "All right, squire prefect. Don't get too cocky now."

"This is bloody ridiculous," Sirius said, popping up behind them. "Absolutely ludicrous!"

"What now?" asked James.

Sirius ran a hand through his dark, nearly shaking with anxiety. "How is it that not one bird has a cigarette? Not one!" Sirius demanded hotly.

"Finals stressed everyone out, everyone is probably out," Remus reasoned nonchalantly.

"What about my stress!" Sirius exclaimed loudly, banging his hands against his chest. A few students even turned to them in surprise. "And I don't even have any in the room! Look!" He pulled out his wand. " _Accio Cigarettes!"_

Nothing changed.

"Withdrawal will be nasty for you," Remus noted.

Peter tapped on Sirius' shoulder and whispered loudly, "Oy, Sirius, look over there. She has one."

The four boys turned their heads over to the balcony of the tower and saw that Dorcas Meadowes, while speaking to Emma Vanity, just lit up a cigarette. Remus let out a low whistle and clapped his friend on the back. "That's going to be an interesting introduction," he murmured.

"She's terrifying… but gorgeous" added Sirius, looking at Dorcas Meadowes appraisingly.

"She is _very_ attractive," Remus said, not trying to sound too enthused.

"She may be the hottest bird in the school!" Peter said excitedly, clapping his hands together.

"Eh…" James said dismissively.

This was true about Dorcas Meadowes. Although she was small, probably around 160cm (5'3), she had a striking presence. She had flawless skin, long onyx hair, a shapely figure, and the most stunning ice blue eyes. She looked like old Hollywood met high-end English fashion. It was hard not to notice her.

"What if she petrifies me?" Sirius asked, suddenly finding talking to women the hardest thing on the planet. Normally, it came as easy as English did for him. "I mean last time I talked to her, she nearly broke my nose."

"That's because you called her a cheating twat, Sirius," Remus said as if it were obvious.

James wrapped an arm around his best friend's shoulder. "You, Mr. Padfoot, are Sirius Orion Black. You are the top ranking assassin of the league of Lady Killers. Dorcas Meadowes will not only offer you a cig, but maybe more!" He said wondrously, indulging in his own dramatics.

"Excessive," muttered Remus.

Sirius ignored his more rational friend and looked to James with confidence. "I'm going to do it! I mean, I'm Sirius fucking Black. Look at me."

"Right you are, Mate," James cheered. Shit, if James could talk to Lily Evans without getting his head ripped off, maybe Sirius could actually win over the cold Dorcas Meadows.

Sirius grabbed Remus' flask and took a quick sip for some liquid courage. "See you on the other side, Boys!"

"Don't hurt yourself now," Remus called out.

* * *

On the balcony, Dorcas Meadowes was not amused. When she lit the cigarette, it was out of pure annoyance and frustration. Normally, she was rather good at concealing her emotions. But Emma Vanity had been her only friend since their third year together. So, Emma Vanity was well aware of her friend's off-put mood.

"It's what I want to do," Emma said, still trying to sound calm. She checked her compact mirror to make sure that she still had all of her lipstick on.

"Yeah, I got that part," Dorcas said as she took the first drag of her cigarette. "It's just bloody stupid, that's all."

"The war is at its peak, Dorcas," Emma insisted. She flipped her black hair over her shoulder, showing off her warm mocha skin. She was beautiful with slender proportions, bright brown eyes, and quite the flashy dress on. Many of the male students were staring at her, and she absolutely adored it. "I need to protect myself."

"And when did you need a man to do that?" Dorcas asked hotly, confused by her friend's sudden sense of feminine weakness.

Emma let out a haughty laugh. "I don't _need_ Carl," she said truthfully, "I'm using him."

"Even better," Dorcas said dryly.

"He wants to marry me," explained Emma.

Dorcas deadpanned and simply took a drag of her cigarette. She waited for Emma to continue.

"I'll be rich at seventeen, and he's dying anyway," Emma explained coldly as she took a sip of her wine.

Dorcas let out a loud breath and quickly composed her rather astonished face. She knew her friend was rather merciless and cunning, but ruthless was never a word to describe Emma Vanity until now. "That's, well, that's fucking harsh, Em."

"There's a war going on," Emma emphasized again. "I am a half-blood with a muggle mum. Who knows what's going to happen to people like me? Or for that matter, people like you, Dorcas. You should be finding a way to protect yourself too. You have to look out for yourself now."

Dorcas ran a hand through her own dark hair. She leaned against the balcony edge and said, "The safest place for a muggle-born is here, Emma, and that's where I am staying."

Emma scoffed. "You can't possibly believe that."

Dorcas shrugged and took her longest drag yet. "Dumbledore wouldn't let anything happen to us inside of Hogwarts."

"What about radicals like Mulciber and Avery, huh?" Emma asked fiercely, putting her hands on her hips. "They'll be all over you, more so than they've been already."

Dorcas smiled just at the thought of being given a reason to pull out Avery's hair and smash in Mulciber's jaw. "I can deal with those two."

Emma let out a sigh. Both girls were far too stubborn to change one another's mind. "We'll stay in touch," She said, almost reaching out to Dorcas' hand.

Dorcas nodded, but knew it wasn't true. Emma was never really the letter-writing type. She was too self-involved to read any of Dorcas' letters from their vacations, she didn't expect her to start now.

"All right, well, I'm going to join the party," Emma smiled. "Apparently, Fabian Prewett invited me specifically because he heard I was leaving." She had a face on like that of a predator finding its prey.

"Good luck, Gold Digger," Dorcas smirked, picking up Emma's left wine.

"Try and have fun, Masochist," Emma said, sticking her tongue out before strutting amongst the rest of the Hogwarts students.

Men flocked to Emma like pigeons flocked to bread. Dorcas watched un-impressed and actually rather disappointedly. She turned her head sharply and instead tried to find solace in the stars and moon. Yes, she was upset by Emma's usage of others, although it was the Slytherin motto practically, but mainly Dorcas was upset because she didn't really know anyone else in Hogwarts. The rest of the Slytherin students ostracized her for being the only muggle-born in the House, and the rest of the school was afraid of her, or hated her for being a slytherin. And well, she didn't blame them because she wasn't the most social being, never had been either.

"Oy, um, Meadowes."

Dorcas looked away from the night sky and saw that Sirius Black was standing before her. The most cocky Marauder of them all, the ultimate Slytherin Blood Traitor, and the Beater who called her a cheating twat. Oh, this should be amusing. She stayed quiet and took a long swig as she waited for him to speak.

Sirius chuckled, rubbing the back of his neck. "I know I must not be your favorite Gryffindor face-"

"Try the antonym," she murmured in agreement, letting smoke trickle out from her mouth.

Sirius shrugged and said in a blasé voice, "I completely understand that, and it was rude of me calling you that last year. I haven't apologized since then. Normally, I act much more noble than that, and if my mother saw me act like that, she would be appalled. And in actuality, that idea alone would make me delighted-"

"Black," Dorcas said curtly.

Sirius paused noticing his rambling and raised an eyebrow.

Dorcas took another drag of her cigarette and let some of the smoke blow out in his face. "I have a feeling that this apology is not as much of an apology as it is an inquiry, and I'm really not in the mood for long stories, so…" she said coolly, "what do you want?"

His blank face turned into a smirk. Who knew that Dorcas Meadowes actually give as little shits as it seemed? Everyone thought it was just a hoax or some mysterious persona the girl put on. It seems like no games would be needed here; it would just be unnecessary to charm a girl with no intention of being charmed whatsoever. So, he cleared his throat and asked in his most normal tone, as if he were talking to any of the other Marauder, "Could you bum me a cigarette? You're the only bird in here that seems to have one."

"Ah." She slipped her own cigarette between her lips and dug into her back jean pocket and pulled out a tin case with some weird insignia on the front that looked like some weird version of a devil angel. She passed it to him and pulled out her own cig from her lips. "It seems unlikely that I'm the only girl in here with cigarettes," Dorcas noted.

"Trust me," Sirius noted as he took one of the nicely rolled cigarettes, "I tried before coming to you."

"Every girl?" Dorcas asked, amused and impressed with his self-confidence.

"Eh," Sirius shrugged as he put the cig to his lips, "I avoided a few of them; the ones I've hooked up with and the ones who've hooked up with my mates."

"A womanizer with morals," she mused, "impressive."

"I aim to impress," Sirius said. As if it were a glass, he raised the cigarette in cheers. Dorcas joined him before he pointed to the end of his cigarette with his wand, and without a sound, a flame kissed the end of it. Sirius puffed a few times before it lit properly, but he let out a long sigh once it did. "Honestly, Meadowes, good looking out."

"Do what I can," Dorcas said indifferently.

"And now, I can see with complete honesty that I am sorry for calling you a cheating twat," Sirius said solemnly, putting his free hand over his heart. "You are definitely not a twat."

She ashed her cigarette and said, "I appreciate that, I guess."

"And you're a rather good beater," he added.

"Okay. Don't hurt yourself, Black."

"I thought I would try."

"Try what?"

"Seducing you like every other bird would like to be seduced in here."

Dorcas raised her eyebrows as she took the longest drag yet. The long inhale gave her time to analyze that statement. The bluntness actually may have been the most seductive thing she's heard in a minute. "And how would that be?" She asked releasing the smoke to the side.

Sirius puffed and released rather quickly. "Compliment you on your most obvious and hard-worked features. For instance, everyone in the school knows you're a fantastic beater, even for a Slytherin-"

Dorcas snorted, "Sore loser."

"- And you know that probably better than anyone. Or that you're beautiful. Those eyes, nice set of lips, and a fit body. Merlin, your mum must have been quite the looker."

Dorcas remained as composed as possible as she scratched her head awkwardly. "Is that what you tell all the girls? Their mums must've been hot?" She teased.

"Only the ones with most likely pretty mums," Sirius agreed. "Is she?"

Dorcas looked down at the ground, not wanting to think of her mother too much. She agreed nonetheless though and said, "Yeah. Very."

Sirius smiled, "It only makes sense that she has a daughter looking like you."

She took a long swig of the wine, nearly finishing it the formerly full glass. She then gave him a questionable look. "Does this work on other girls? I'm very curious."

Sirius calculated the results for a moment. "I say I have a solid 87% success rate with this one," he said earnestly.

Dorcas had to laugh at that one. "Well, it's not with me," she said, feeling some effects of the alcohol warm her.

"Well, I've never been shot down like that either," Sirius said in a rather appreciative tone, "well done, Meadowes."

She pursed her lips before finishing the rest of the wine, which was now causing her to feel restless and well, aroused. The opportunity was practically begging her. Sirius Black wasn't a bad-looking bloke either, actually rather attractive. And it had been weeks since she's been laid, and the rumors were consistent about Black's oral abilities, and she was just annoyed, just fed-up, and just tipsy enough for this to be a decent idea. She took the last lick of her cigarette before throwing it off the astronomy tower and gave him a look. She appreciated the audible gulp she heard when his gray eyes met her blue ones.

"You know what would work on me, Black?"

Sirius raised an eyebrow. "And what would that be?" He said, trying not to sound like his former fifteen year old virgin self.

Dorcas stepped down from the balcony and looked back at him with a devilish stare. "You'll finish your cigarette, follow me to the top floor of the tower, and meet me in the empty storage cupboard. Can you manage that?"

Sirius nearly dropped the cigarette, but he was still Sirius Black. A reputation to maintain. He nodded and straightened his collar. "I think so."

"Good," Dorcas said before turning on her heel to meet him in their destination. In the mean time, Sirius silently thanked himself, his Black genes, and the good sense of charm he learned on his own. He tossed his cigarette and was only a few steps behind Dorcas Meadowes.

* * *

"Merlin's Beard," Marlene McKinnon gaped. She grabbed onto Lily's arm, who was now trying to re-find her perfect alcohol balance with some wine. "Is that Black following Meadowes?!"

"Who's Meadowes?" Lily asked as she finished her sip.

"Dorcas Meadowes!" Marlene said in a hushed voice. "Sixth year, Beater, the only muggle-born to be placed in Slytherin in over a hundred years. Look!" The blond physically moved her friend's head in the direction of the winding staircase where both Meadowes and Black were climbing now.

"Oh," Lily said, only partially interested, more interested in her drinking. "Huh, that Meadowes."

Emmeline had popped up behind them and grabbed Lily's drink. She was already a bright red, which she attributes to her Korean genes. She took a sip herself and pointed at the distant "couple" and informed, "Pretty sure he called her a twat last year though."

"Language, Emmeline!" Mary demanded ferocsiouly. She tended to get loud when she was inebriated.

"Yeah, and she punched him in the nose for it," Marlene added.

"Seems like there won't be anymore punching between those too," noted Gideon Prewett as he rested an arm on Lily's head. He was that much taller than she.

"Just loads of pounding," winked Fabian.

Marlene made a disgusted noise, Lily frowned as she continued to drink, and Emmeline just laughed. "Ugh, you two are foul," Mary grimaced.

"Despite our foulness," Gideon said as he lifted a finger, "we've created a rather lovely gathering haven't we? Where else would you see a Gryffindor snog a Slytherin, ay?"

"Speaking of Slytherins," Fabian said as he peered past the two girls, "I'm going to get myself one." He skittered past Marlene, Lily, and his brother and headed towards Emma Vanity, who slipped away past a few drooling fifth years.

"Emma Vanity?" Emmeline asked in disbelief. "Out of all the girls, he picks the slag?"

"Harsh, Emmy," Lily said.

"It's true," Emmeline said defensively. "Rumor has it that she's not coming back next term because some old wealthy wizard wants to marry her! If that's not a gold digger, then what is?"

Lily dismissed it and said, "Leave the rumors as rumors. You don't know why she may be doing it. She may love him."

Gideon, the gentler of the two Prewetts, even gave a doubtful look. "That girl literally has the surname Vanity, Evans. I'm pretty sure she won't love anyone else but herself."

Lily shrugged. She didn't enjoy partaking in the gossip mill, especially when it concerned people she had no clue about. "It is a good party though, Gideon," she said, trying to lighten the mood. "Seriously! Everyone seems to be having a very good time."

"Oh! I love this song!" Mary squealed, throwing her hands up high as a Jackson 5 song came on. "Come on, Emmeline, let's dance."

"All right, all right," Emmeline grumbled as she took another shot of fire whiskey. She followed Mary as they found a few other Hufflepuff students to dance with.

Gideon smiled proudly as he watched Mary and Emmeline dance off. "Thank you, Evans," he said triumphantly, "I'm glad you're enjoying it. It seems that even you and Potter got along this evening. I can say that's quite an impressive feat."

Marlene nearly choked her on her drink. "You two talked? And one of you isn't steaming from anger?" She asked incredulously.

Lily shushed them both. "Just for a minute," she said sheepishly.

Marlene let out a long _hmmm_ as she sipped on her firewhiskey. "Ignoring the fact that he also has the amazing McKinnon blood in him, James does not entirely suck as human being."

The redhead let out a loud snort.

"I'm serious, Lily," insisted Marlene. "He's a decent human being, and he's changed in the past few months. He's gotten his head on his shoulders a bit more now. Haven't you noticed?"

Lily contemplated this for a moment. She had noticed a significant change in James Potter's actions. He stopped pranking innocent first years, stopped showing off (as much) in Transfiguration class, and well, stopped trying to ask her out on dates. It made this year significantly more peaceful, and the conversation she just had with him was actually rather tranquil. Or maybe the alcohol was acting as peacemaker.

"I've noticed it a bit," Lily agreed hesitantly. "But, that doesn't mean I want to go on a date with him or be his friend! He's caused too much trouble for me as is."

Gideon gave her a pointed look. "Evans, you're the one always telling people to forgive each other. Shouldn't you be listening to your own advice?"

Marlene clapped her hands together. "Thank you, Prewett! See?"

Lily frowned. "James Potter frightened more than half of the male population away from at this school. He has bullied my friends-"

"Former friend," Marlene clarified.

"Yes, that's true," Lily noted, "but either way, he's made my life exceptionally difficult and I'm not in the mood to forgive him-"

"All right, all right," the blond said, trying to settle things down, "all I am saying is to maybe give him a chance to prove that he could possibly, maybe, sometime in the near future, be your humble acquaintance."

"Humble acquaintance," Lily repeated in a murmur before taking another sip.

Her eyes landed on James Potter, who was now talking to a few Ravenclaw students. They all looked to be having a rather dashing time. And then he ran his hand through his stupid jet black hair… that did look rather soft. _Come off it, Lily,_ her mind shouted at her. Lily wanted to smack herself for thinking such thoughts. Twice in one night! Merlin, she was going to have to control her drinking because twice was far too much. In the past term, yes, she'll admit that she's had rare moments of weakness (which she will blame is due to stress of NEWT classes) in which she found herself observing Potter's stupid unruly hair or his muscles because he must've worked out heavily during the summer. And she hated those moments more than anything.

"Yeah, not happening," Lily said determinedly as she a much larger swig this time. Gideon couldn't help but laugh, while Marlene cringed.

"You know, it's hard having my two best friends in the world fighting every time they enter the same room," Marlene scowled. "I would like to party with you both, eat meals with you both, and, I don't know, just be a person with you both."

"Well, now we just don't talk to each other. One step at a time, my friend," Lily teased.

"Oh, you are frustrating," Marlene glared. "But, either way, I expect you two to both be cordial enough to attend my New Year's Party, correct?"

"When's that again?" Lily asked, feigning ignorance. This caused her to be pushed by Marlene.

The curly blond then turned to face Prewett and said, "I expect you and your sleazier half to be there too, right? I couldn't imagine the Prewetts not attending a function."

Gideon smiled mischievously. "Wouldn't miss it for the world, Love."

"Good," she said in a determined voice.

And the party went on; it was a good party. Everyone enjoyed their time. A game of beer pong started up, more dancing, and even louder music. It seemed as if this party was going to make Hogwarts' underground history. Peter took pictures to memorialize the moment. He got a picture of the Marauders all together, Marlene and James taking fire whiskey shots together, the Prewett Hosts, MacDonald and Kim nearly giving a strip tease, and even one of Lily and Marlene winning at beer pong against Greyson and Caradoc Dearborn. The last picture of the night he snapped was a most unfortunate one however.

"Oh bullocks," Peter whispered when he realized what he snapped. He skittered away from the Astonomy Tower's entrance staircase and hurried over to James and Remus, who were chatting it up with the same Ravenclaw girls. "Oy, oy, big trouble."

"Kinda busy now, Pete," hissed James, trying hard to focus on pretty Veronica Gross instead of his hyperactive friend.

"Slytherins!" Peter squeaked. He pointed to the staircase.

James and Remus immediately looked over the Ravenclaw girls' and Peter's head to see three darkly-dressed Slytherin students standing at the top of the staircase, eyeing the party roguishly.

"Go tell the Prewetts, will you, Peter?" Remus suggested. He knew that Peter particularly hated that crowd because those three, including Snape, were the ones to pick on Peter the most.

"Looks like we didn't get the invite," Caleb Parkinson noted in a loud voice, his snooty nose high in the air. He had dark hair, pale white skin, a long nose, and a lean build. He pulled out his wand and wordlessly blasted the radio speaker, causing a few students to shout in terror.

The room got quiet. Parkinson himself was Head boy of Slytherin with the ability to deduct points and serve detentions as easily as he liked. It didn't help that he had two eye-witnesses with him who were also well-loved prefects (at least by some professors): crude Alex Mulciber and vicious Mariah Avery.

"Well, this is going to be unpleasant," whispered Remus.

"You ought to hide," James noted to his friend.

"And since when did Marauders hide?" Remus asked indignantly.

"When it involves expulsion," the Quidditch Captain countered quickly. "It's one thing if just regular students are seen throwing a party, but you and all the other prefects, including Greyson, should get the hell out of here. You all may get expelled for allowing and attending a party."

Remus sucked in a quick breath. His mind raced of all the consequences that would come if Dumbledore knew he was attending a party. What school would take a werewolf for a student? And which Headmaster would create an underground tunnel for him to access on his full moons? Remus let out an aggravated groan and stepped behind his taller friend. "I could hit them with a quick oblivate spell and throw them off the tower," he whispered to James, readying his wand.

James tried to contain his guffaw, but slid it off as a cough. "A little dark for you, ay, Remus?"

"Tell that to the full moon coming up next week," mumbled Remus, sliding his wand back into his trousers.

"No one cares to share who the creator of this party is?" Parkinson asked in a loud voice. He had cruel smile on his face. He was enjoying this far too much. No one answered him too, because at this point, what was there to say? They were caught red-handed by the three nastiest students in the school.

Lily, who stood by the pong table, looked to Connor desperately and mouthed, _Do Something._

"If I do something," Connor whispered quietly, sitting behind the taller Caradoc, "imagine how much trouble all of us will be in knowing that I permitted this. I'm the only bloody Head in here, Lil. We're all breaking rules."

Lily looked at her boyfriend, who actually had a decent point. It didn't seem right to get everyone in trouble when they were all just having a little holiday fun. But it was unlikely that the Professors and Heads of Houses would agree. This was tricky.

"Not you, Grout?" Parkinson asked a shy fifth year Hufflepuff boy. "No, no, far too timid to ask anyone anything… And what about you, Kane, did you want to show off you whore-ish side for a night?" He directed the question to the bookish Ravenclaw girl who had showed quite her wild side tonight. Parkinson pointed to his lips and smirked coldly, "Your tart lipstick is a bit smeared."

"I'm going to pull out his nose hairs, I swear to Merlin," hissed Marlene as she took a long drink, glowering at the three students who ruined their night.

"Or was it you, McDonald?" asked Parkinson. "Did you want to get a little fun in, trying to forget about all the muggle deaths going on outside these castle walls-"

A few students let out loud boos and 'sod offs,' but the loudest ones by far belonged to Lily Evans.

"Watch your mouth, Parkinson, you pompous slug," Lily called out, pushing aside Marlene pointing her wand at the Slytherin Head Boy.

"And you watch yourself, Evans," hissed Avery, who stepped before her Head Boy, putting up her own wand. Mariah Avery was yes, pretty, but in a common sort of way. She was tall, almost as tall as Marlene, but strikingly thin with pin straight dirty blond hair and dark brown eyes. She had the aura of an ice princess, which she thoroughly appreciated.

It could've been the Firewhiskey or it could've been Lily's own rage, but either way, it gave her enough confidence to step right in front of Avery's wand. "Pathetic as usual," Lily spat as her eyes narrowed at the three of them, "feeling a little lonely so you take it out on everyone else."

"You're the ones who broke the rules, and you're a prefect! Imagine the punishment that Dumbledore will have for you!" Avery stated matter-of-factly. "I bet you're the one who started this mess, weren't you, Evans? All you ever want is to be the center of everyone's attention, especially after you were betrayed by Snape."

Lily saw red. How dare she bring up Snape, when it was Avery who turned Severus into the cold, loathsome, and hateful person he is today. She was about to hex the girl into next Tuesday, but luckily someone else jumped in to distract her.

"All right, all right," James Potter said, putting his hands up to show a sign of relative peace. "No need for that. Why don't we all forget like this all ever happened. A little holiday cheer never hurt anyone, right?"

Mulciber put up his own wand to Potter and said, "No time for diplomacy, Blood Traitor. That time is long gone, you lost your chance to pick the right side."

James scoffed. "If all of us had picked your side, we would be fucking our cousins and siblings, or we would have extinct a long time ago, Mulciber. Don't be stupid… unless your mum shagged her relative of-sorts, which means you can't really help it."

There were a few laughs from the crowd, but none from the Slytherins. Mulciber prepared his wand and was about to produce a stupefying curse, when a loud cough distracted them. The cough belonged to the normally quiet Dorcas Meadowes.

"Ah, Meadowes, I should've expected you to be at this party," Parkinson noted dully, examining his own fingernails. "You've always resented being in our house."

Dorcas looked rather disheveled, but utterly calm. Her long hair was in a bun at the top of her head; her shirt was considerably wrinkled; and her lips were swollen. She trotted down the stairs and said in relaxed voice, "Well, us Slytherins should start working on new party arrangements, no? So we don't have secretly attend these."

Avery turned away from Lily and then pointed her wand at Dorcas, who looked completely bored. "You'll never be a true Slytherin, you mudblood-"

"- _Tainting our house name_ ," Dorcas finished dully, "Yes. I know, I know. I don't really care." She walked up to Parkinson, who finally had looked up from his fingernail examination, and looked him straight in the eyes. Like being struck by lightening, he stood straighter and stared into Dorcas' blue eyes. "Parkinson. Why don't you, me, Avery, and Mulciber go talk about how us Slytherins could have our own party. Doesn't that sound like a good idea?" Dorcas asked in an alluring voice as if she were luring him away to bed, or to eat him.

"Yes," Parkinson said in an almost mechanical voice, causing some students to gasp in surprise. "Sounds good."

"Caleb!" Avery screeched. "What do you mean?!"

Parkinson didn't look away from Dorcas' enchanting blue eyes. He simply said, "Well, there is no harm being done here. And it'll be too pestering to deal with all of these citations. We should just follow Meadowes."

"Are you out of your bleeding mind?" Mulciber shouted, still pointing his wand at James.

James, on the other hand, was staring at Dorcas. He narrowed his eyes, noticing that the muggle-born Slytherin student was not doing anything else, but staring at Parkinson. Peculiar.

"No, come on," Parkinson insisted as he nodded his head. He seemed more of himself now, a little more arrogant and self-assured, but still only looked at Dorcas. "I'm bored. We should have our own party."

Dorcas finally broke eye contact with him, but took him by the hand. She looked up to the balcony and saw that Sirius Black was staring at her in awe. She gave him a slight wink before heading down the stairs with him.

"Caleb, what's going on!" Avery howled as she followed Meadowes and Parkinson.

Mulciber let out a frustrated grunt, and before he left said, "We're not finished, Potter. Got it?"

"Whatever," James said indifferently, just concentrating on Meadowes.

Festivities resumed as Gideon Prewett did a quick repairing charm on the speaker. Students raved and resumed dancing and chatting as the past five minutes had not just happened.

Remus turned around and gave James a look. "That was… odd," he said simply.

"More than odd," noted James, scratching his chin. He then found himself looking for a particular kinky-haired Slytherin, the only one left in the room. He found her chatting it up with Fabian Prewett now and made his way over to her. It seemed like he wasn't the only one who had questions because Lily and Marlene were now over by Emma Vanity as well.

Emma looked rather surprised as she flipped her hair back behind her shoulder. "I do like attention, but it can be rather off-putting when I have one too many suitors at the same time," she said, trying to sound casual. She looked to the two girls and said, "I thought you had a boyfriend, Evans. Huh? Is he interested in spicing it up a bit?"

"Don't get too excited," Lily argued. "What's up with Meadowes?"

Emma's face hardened. "She just saved your party. You sound pretty accusatory of a girl who just saved you all from detentions and, or, expulsions."

"She seems more like a hypnotist if you ask me," Marlene scoffed.

"Are they going to come back?" Fabian asked.

"How'd she do it? Parkinson is the most self-righteous arse in the school, and that's coming from me," James said solemnly.

Marlene barked with laughter and even Lily seemed to grin at that one.

Emma sighed as she pinched the bridge of her nose, "Truthfully, I don't know what you're talking about. Dorcas is a strange bird - I love her, but she has her secrets. And one of them, I think, is that she's very good at persuading others. And if she's as good as I think she is, then they're not coming back. And no one is going to get in trouble."

The five Gryffindor students looked at Emma Vanity doubtfully.

"Just enjoy your damn party, all right?" Emma insisted. She snatched Lily's flask and took a long swig to get herself back in the party mood.

Lily took it back once she was done and looked to Marlene, James, and Remus for a moment before they started walking away. She wanted to ask more questions, but she knew that Emma Vanity either didn't know or had no intention of sharing how or why Dorcas stepped up like that.

James saw Sirius trot down the staircase from the upper level of the astronomy tower and gave his friend a wide grin. "Smashing night, innit?"

* * *

Hope you enjoyed! Have a Happy New Year Everyone! Cheers xoxo

(Follow, Favorite, & Review if it suits your fancy!)

\- Rose


	4. Chapter 4

**December 22** **nd** **, 1976**

Lily Evans nearly screamed when Marlene McKinnon tried to snatch away her blanket. The shinning light from the sun pierced her eyes, making her want to melt and hide. She immediately slid on her round sunglasses and glared at the curly blond girl, who put the blanket around her head like a scarf. Hangovers turned both Gryffindor girls rather moody. Lily had a few choice words for her friend, but Marlene beat her to it.

"Trolley Witch is back," Marlene said in a rather drab voice, already munching on a chocolate frog.

"Oh thank Merlin," Lily nearly cried as she dug into her pocket for some loose change. She looked to her left and saw that Emmeline Kim was still sleeping soundly, and decided that the Hufflepuff girl would probably enjoy some jelly beans when she woke up. Lily smiled wearily at the witch and said, "Three chocolate frogs and jelly beans please."

"Coming right up," The witch said happily. She passed the items to Lily and gave her a knowing look. "Long night?"

Lily gave a rather defeated smile and said, "You don't even know the half of it."

Mary, who was also laying on the couch, raised a hand up and patted Lily's behind. "Get me a biscuit please," she mumbled.

The Trolley Witch let out a hearty laugh and placed another biscuit in Lily's hands. "It's on the house, Love. Rest up."

"Thank you," Lily called out as the witch went onto the next compartment. "What a nice witch," she said, closing the door. She plopped the biscuit on Mary's leg and resumed her original seat.

Mary sat up straight and let out a big yawn. She looked outside and saw the snow and noticed that the country side was becoming more city-like. The pastures were replaced by houses lined up next to one another. "How long did we sleep for?"

"We slept most of the way," noted Marlene as she opened a window. The cold December air was refreshing as she pulled out a cigarette. "We'll be there within the next half hour."

Mary let out a loud groan as she slid her glasses back on. "I never want to drink again," she said in a determined voice.

Marlene let out a short, but loud laugh. "Darling, you have eight days to rally up because come December 31st, we're doing it all again," she said in a dreamy voice.

"I don't know how you do it," insisted Mary.

"You know what," Lily joined in as she finished her frog, "I'm more interested in how Meadows did it."

"Did what?" Mary asked.

"Got Parkinson and his lot to leave the party alone," the prefect explained. "I was sure that McGonagall was going to come yelling at us in the morning, but nothing. It's curious, innit?"

"Maybe she shagged them?" Mary offered innocently as she slowly opened her biscuit.

Marlene let out a big cloud of smoke and gave Mary a dubious look. "She shagged all three of them?" She asked.

"Times are changing," Mary murmured.

Marlene gave a shrug, "Fair point." She continued to smoke a little before adding, "She did save the entire party though. I've never even seen her speak her entire time at Hogwarts."

"If she didn't convince them," Lily stated, opening her second chocolate frog, "you wouldn't have gotten to hook up with Curtis Nelson, would you?"

Marlene produced a sleazy sort of smile; the smoke slowly released from her lips. "No, no I would not have," she said in sultry tone.

"Maybe you should invite her to your New Year's Party," Mary suggested.

"Yeah!" Lily concurred excitedly. "She didn't get to finish her round of the party last night."

Marlene gave her friends a weary sort of look. "I don't know," she said in an unsure voice, "she seems to keep to herself. You'd think she'd be interested?"

Lily crossed her arms over her chest and gave Marlene a stern look. "If someone sacrifices themselves for the sake of the party, I would imagine Marlene McKinnon to definitely show some respect."

Marlene thought about this for a moment before she flicked the butt of her cig off the train. "Fair point," she grinned. "I'll ask her when we get into King's Cross."

* * *

"So, tell us, Mr. Padfoot," James Potter said with a devilish grin on his face, leaning forward towards his friend, "on a scale of one to ten, how good was Dorcas Meadowes? You've been keeping us in the dark."

Sirius Black let a quiet scoff and said, "Gentlemen, you know I never shag and tell."

Remus coughed loudly into his fist, " _Bullshit_."

Sirius scowled at Remus, but noticed the intrigued look on James' and Peter's face. How could he not divulge the information on his first Slytherin Shag. He put his index finger up and gave a coy smile, "Only one word: limber."

James clapped his hands laughing as Peter covered his hands with his mouth. Remus raised his eyebrows and chuckled with an approving nod.

"Considering we were in a bloody cupboard, she made it work wonderfully," Sirius said coolly. "And what a pair of lips."

"Sirius Black sounds like he's in love," James teased, giving his friend a slight nudge in the ribs.

"Sirius Black doesn't do love," Sirius corrected, "but he will do that bird again. Anytime. Maybe she would be interested some time when we get back from vacation."

"Until then, we have the McKinnon Clan New Year's party!" the defacto leader said joyously. "Marlene has a bunch of really fit friends coming in from all over Europe. Some Beauxbaton's girls, I heard."

Peter's head dropped. "I can't come."

"Peter!" The three boys shouted together.

"What on earth do you mean?" James accused.

Peter scratched the back of his neck and looked up at his friends miserably. "My parents want to go on a vacation. We're going to New York to see the 'ball drop,' it's some muggle thing."

"If it's called a ball-dropping," Sirius mentioned, "then yeah, that sounds like a dumb muggle thing."

"But my parents thought it would be nice to get away from Europe and the War for a moment," Peter sighed heavily.

James nodded appreciatively. Yes, he would miss his little friend, but he could completely understand that. The War was getting nastier by the second. A lot of his parents' friends were leaving Europe for extended vacations, fear of being hunted down by Voldemort and his motley gang of inbreeds. "Your parents may have a point, Peter," he said after a long moment.

Peter shrugged, "I guess so." He looked up to James, Sirius, and Remus and smiled, "Take a shot for me, won't you?"

"Of course, Mate," Remus laughed encouragingly, "We'll take two for you even."

"Speaking of two," grumbled Sirius, "Won't those _two_ ever get a room. I mean, seriously, I already threw up this morning, I have no intention of doing it again."

The Marauders peered outside the compartment door to see Connor Greyson holding Lily Evans tightly in his arms. They were both smiling bittersweetly, probably saying their goodbyes before getting off the Express. He moved a strand of her hair from her face, and she got on her tip-toes to press a long kiss to his lips.

"Leave'em alone," James muttered after a moment, trying to settle his own envy. He pulled out a cigarette and pressed it to his lips. He pulled out a lighter than Marlene had bought him in Hong Kong a while back and flicked it on.

"I would imagine that you would be the most troubled by this scene," Peter whispered sympathetically.

"I just choose not to look in their direction anymore," James said as she slammed the compartment window open. The statement wasn't entirely true, but it was something he tried to do instead.

* * *

"Look for something cute for me," Lily teased as she toyed with the short tufts of her boyfriend's hair. "I'm kidding, please don't get me anything." She didn't want to be the girlfriend who constantly demanded material items from her one-month boyfriend.

"Oh, I will," Connor promised. "Some sexy french lingerie, maybe." He kissed the temple of her forehead.

Lily tried not stiffen in his arms when she thought of Connor seeing her in lingerie. It's not that she didn't want to dress up for him; it was the dressing down aftermath. In her past relations, Lily had gone part way and half way, but never the _final_ show. She knew Connor wasn't a virgin, for sure, and she also knew that he was never going to pressure her into it, but still. The thought of being completely bare and intimate with someone made her stomach churn.

Connor noticed it. He gulped and said honestly, "You know that's not what I meant - it was a joke. A stupid one surely, with not much thought. My humor is pretty lackluster-"

"Shut up," Lily insisted with some humor to her voice, "how can a girl pass up the idea of lingerie?"

Connor's awkwardness turned into a smile. He pressed a quick kiss to Lily's nose and said, "You're marvelous, Lily Evans. Truly marvelous."

Lily smiled and flipped her hair dramatically, "it's au naturale!"

Connor grabbed her closer and whispered into her ear, "Oh definitely getting you some lingerie." He then turned his head and captured her lips with his. It was a tender and gentle kiss, and it would be their last until 1977.

They broke the kiss when they felt the Express came to a halt in Platform 9 and 3/4. The couple looked at each other sheepishly before pressing another quick peck in before returning to their respective compartments. "See you soon, Lil," he said.

"See you, Connor-"

"Oy!" a loud voice called from the side, "no snogging in the Express! Don't want to blind the youth now do we, Head Boy?" The voice, of course, belonged to Sirius Black. The couple glared at him as he put his fingers, like two pistols, and shot them both, like an old Western Movie.

"Why do I have nothing to hit you with?" Lily asked earnestly, as she began to pat down her coat, "Ever?" She stopped her search when she saw the Sirius was joined by crew. Remus and Peter her gave her small waves, but James Potter looked rather indifferent.

Sirius gave her a smirk, but it quickly vanished when James tugged on his best mate's arm. "Leave'em alone, Sirius," he said sternly. He nodded his head to Greyson and Lily apathetically before turning away himself.

"Just having a little holiday fun," Sirius said innocently. "See you at New Year's, Evans. Ta-ta, Greyson!"

"New Year's?" Connor asked his girlfriend curiously once the Marauders walked away.

Lily let out an exasperated sigh. "The McKinnon Clan has an annual New Year's bash. Naturally, Potter's invited, which now includes Black since he now lives with the Potters full-time. I think she invited Remus and Peter too."

Connor put on his biggest smile. He didn't want his girlfriend knowing that those two being at the same party made every ounce of confidence in him run as far far away. "Don't let them aggravate you too much, okay?"

"We'll see," Lily laughed mirthlessly.

"I'll miss you," Connor said as he kissed her one last time.

"I'll miss you too," Lily agreed.

* * *

"You know, I will miss you," Emma Vanity said to Dorcas Meadowes once they got out of King's Cross. "You're the closest thing I've ever had to a friend at this school."

Dorcas dropped her suitcase and wrapped her jacket around her more tightly. She wanted it to be as tight as the twisting in her chest felt. "I'm going to miss you too, Em," she said earnestly. Emma Vanity might've been the first person Dorcas has ever said that to.

Emma pulled her friend in for a hug, a real hug. Even Dorcas could feel that; it may have been the most genuine gesture Emma had expressed towards her. In return Dorcas squeezed her friend back.

A distinct car honk rang through the streets of London. Dorcas and Emma looked back and saw Emma's thirty-something year old fiance waving his cap at them. Emma waved back and shouted, "Coming, Carl!"

"You know," Dorcas said dryly, "I can hit him with a memory loss charm and he'll never know what happened to him."

"No, Dorcas," Emma said grimly. "This is what I want."

"How does a seventeen year old know what she wants? You're just a teenager."

Emma put a hand on her shoulder. "I know I want to protect myself," she insisted truthfully. "And the War took our privileges of being children away the moment they started killing people like you."

Dorcas rolled her eyes. "We can't use that as an excuse to marry rich men and steal their fortunes, can we?" She challenged, raising an eyebrow.

Emma scoffed and took Dorcas' hands into her gloved ones. "I want you to come to the Wedding."

Dorcas made a gagging noise. "Only if there's a guaranteed free bar and bachelor party full of male strippers," she added dryly.

Emma giggled, "Yes, Doe, I promise." She leaned in for another tight, but faster, hug and said, "Take care of yourself."

"You too," the other demanded. "If he does anything to you, I'll kill him, or force him to walk off a cliff."

Emma gave her a weary look that even made Dorcas concerned for saying such a statement. "Dorcas, what you did last night… People noticed."

Dorcas straightened up. "How much did they notice?"

"Enough to ask questions, and luckily since you won't even discuss whatever it is that you can do with me, the interrogators don't have answers" Emma said as she took a few steps back. "But, be careful, Dorcas. I'm serious"

"I will," Dorcas said, not knowing how possible that would be. However, in the almost seventeen years of life she had been living, she had always managed to keep herself alive, safe, and relatively sane. She watched as Emma slid into the car with the older man and just the thought of what she was going to do this poor fellow was now beyond her control.

Without Emma, the outside King's Cross became extremely noisy. The loud voices pounded through her ears at an uncomfortable decibel range. She needed a cigarette. She pulled out her tin and pulled out one. She put it to her lips hurriedly and lit it; she felt an immediate rush of calm roll through the top of her head all the way down to the tip of her toes. She concentrated on the smoke, not the voices. It wasn't long before she saw one of her father's company cars pull up. She was about to kill the cigarette when she heard her surname being called loudly.

"Oy, Meadowes!"

Dorcas turned around and saw Marlene McKinnon and Lily Evans running after her. Honestly, she'd never thought she'd see the day when those two would be calling after her. Neither one had ever spoken a word to her, except when McKinnon cheered when Dorcas had punched Sirius in the nose last year.

"I thought you'd already left," Lily said happily, "Thank Merlin."

"Still here," Dorcas murmured awkwardly as she glanced back and forth between the two breathless Gryffindors.

"I know that I'm asking pretty late and you may or may not have plans, but my family hosts an annual New Year's Eve Party at our place in Scotland - right outside of Gasglow," Marlene explained after she caught her breath. "I'd really like it if you came."

Dorcas blinked a few times at the two girls. Neither one had ever shown interest in her before, and it wasn't like they were all made to be the best of friends. Gryffindors and Slytherins always had a mutual rivalry going on, going way back to their namesakes. Also, Marlene McKinnon was a long lineage name of great Chasers in the family, while Lily Evans made her own name of being one of the most confident and bright prefects in their year. They were two extremely popular and well-liked girls. What were they doing talking to her? "Is this a joke?" Dorcas asked honestly. She was just downright confused at this point.

Marlene slapped Lily's shoulder. "See, I told you she wouldn't be interested," she groaned to her friend. She then turned back to Dorcas. "I'm sorry for bothering you; I hope you have a solid holiday-"

"Shut it, Marlene," insisted Lily as she stepped forward. She looked to Dorcas kindly with those big green eyes that everyone loved. Dorcas could see why. "What Marlene is trying to say, just not in the best words, is that you, out of everyone last night, deserve another night of good fun."

 _Pause._

"Oh." This was not what Dorcas was expecting.

"And no one throws a better party than the McKinnons," Lily continued in a chipper voice. "If I'm correct there'll be plenty of booze, fabulous music, and a lot of drunk good-looking Scottish men."

Marlene nodded in agreement. "A lot of them."

Dorcas couldn't help but chuckle.

"So, what do yo say, Meadowes? Ready for round two?" Lily said enticingly, wagging an eyebrow.

Dorcas knew that this probably wasn't the best idea since she knew that Marlene and Lily were there when she lured Parkinson a way from the party. They probably had questions, which she didn't blame them for. But, this could be a chance to prove to them, and another spectators of the event, that she was just a normal, quiet, and reserved Slytherin. Or, maybe she was just being paranoid, like she was for the majority of her life. Dorcas took her last drag before chucking her cigarette and flipped the mental bird to all of her insecurities about large crowds. "Why not?" She shrugged with a small crooked grin on her face.

"Excellent!" Lily squealed as she clapped her hands together.

Marlene gave Dorcas the address on a piece of loose parchment, along with the arrival time and "dress code." The blond explained that no one really cared though because they'll all be too besotted to see anything besides blurred colors, but it was just a formality.

"Thanks for the invite too, McKinnon."

"Don't worry about it, Meadowes," Marlene smiled, "you saved me from another detention and allowed for me to shag Curtis Nelson. That deserves limitless drinks in my book."

Dorcas smiled as she stepped backward to waiting black car her father had sent. "Have a lovely break until then," she said with a wave. "Bye, Evans."

"Bye!" Lily waved. She observed that a well-dressed chauffeur offered to help her with her bags, which Dorcas readily dismissed proving that she did not need help. She dropped her hand when she noticed an insignia on the car that Dorcas slid into. It had a capital "M" with a circle around it and it almost had a tail when the circle's line cut off, like a balloon. She knew that sign somewhere.

"She's actually pretty decent," Marlene commented, crossing her arms. "I expected her to be a little more drab and dark, like Snape."

Lily ignored the blatant diss and focused on the insignia as the car pulled out of the lot and drove further into the heart of London. It took her another minute but Lily soon realized what it was. "Holy shit…" Lily said with wide eyes.

"What?" Marlene asked.

"Meadowes… Meadowes," Lily repeated. "I should've put that together much sooner."

"Put what together?" Marlene asked, impatient now.

"Meadowes Bank," Lily said simply. "Dorcas Meadowes must somehow be related to the Meadowes family. Bloody hell, she's got to be loaded."

"A bank? Interesting," the blond said in an impressed tone. "You wouldn't notice it though. She doesn't really flaunt it."

"Good for her," Lily said in a short voice. "Can't say the same about every rich brat at our school."

"I can feel that was a jab at my cousin," Marlene glared.

Lily looked up at her, trying to express regret. "Sorry, it's kind of a habit at this point. Potter just boils my blood."

Speaking of boiled blood, another student approached them that boiled both of their blood. He had greasy black hair tied in a ponytail, a hooked nose, and a lifted-chin. This was Severus Snape.

"Well, this prick boils my blood," Marlene said shortly, "I'm not dealing with this." She hugged her friend goodbye quickly and said, "See you on New Year's, Darling, and good luck with that."

Lily cursed her elder sister mentally. Why couldn't Petunia be on time for once in her life? Of all the times to be late! Now, Lily had to wait here for her, and let Severus talk to her. She had been so good about avoiding him despite the numerous attempts he's tried to reach out. A few of those times she even thought of budging, but all she could do was think of the word 'mudblood' falling from his lips last May.

"Lily…"

She remained quiet and stared out at the cards. Maybe he was talking to the third year in Hufflepuff with the same name, but spelled Lili.

"Lily, can we talk?"

She closed her eyes tightly and tried to ignore the advances. She did this when she was a child, afraid of the monster in her closet too.

"Lily, please don't ignore me."

 _Fucking strike me down, why don't you?_ Lily thought to God, if He was really up there. She turned to Severus and let out a long sigh. She opened her eyes and said, "Yes, Snape?"

Severus looked taken aback by the surname. He gulped and re-composed himself quickly. "I want to try again," he said quickly, "I want to apologize again."

"You've apologized multiple times to me," Lily said impatiently, "through multiple avenues as well. You send me owls, wrote me messages, tried to corner me in the hallways. Bloody hell, Sev, you even tried to bribe Emmeline into talking to you."

Severus froze and wrinkled his nose in contempt. "Kim was not supposed to tell you that," he said in a cold voice.

"Well, Emmeline is a good friend and knew that I would want to know that bit of information," Lily countered. She winced too because even she knew that was a bit harsh and unnecessary, but Severus just had that ability to pull it out of her.

Severus looked down at the pavement, dusted with snow, and kicked some of it around. "You know, people say that Christmas is the time for forgiving. New Year's is the time for resolution and-"

"When did you become religious?" Lily asked curtly.

"Maybe we can take this time to catch up," Severus suggested. "Outside of Hogwarts, away from everyone with a need to share their two cents, and away from your gossip-loving friends-"

Lily nearly twitched because that did it. "Don't blame my friends when it's your friends who are the truly fucked up ones, Severus," she barked.

"Whoa! That's not what I meant!" He shouted defensively. "I'm just saying that we could start over when we're both back in Cokeworth!"

Lily gave Severus a final sort of look. "No, Severus. In the real world, there aren't do-overs. You have messed up one too many times to get a do-over or to start over with me. It's not just me that you hurt. Not only did you call me that racist name, but days before that, you watched my friend Mary get nearly tortured by Avery, who is definitely clinical sociopath, and Mulciber. You're hurting one too many people now, Severus-"

"I never meant to hurt you, Lily, I swear," Severus pleaded; he almost sounded like he was begging. "I would never!"

Lily felt her eyes moisten, but she blinked them back. She saw that Petunia had finally arrived in her small car. _Perfect timing,_ Lily's mind sneered. She looked back at Severus and said in her most honest voice, "I'm sorry, Severus, but I don't care if you won't hurt me. I know that you will hurt others." She turned her heel on him and made way for the car in a flash. She opened the back door quickly and began to shove her luggage in.

"Lily, wait!" Severus called out, moving past other bystanders.

Petunia narrowed her eyes and said, "Is that Snape? What the bloody hell does he want?" She looked back at Lily, who was now obviously tearing up but holding it back. "Oh great, now I'm going to get your tears on the upholstery. Perfect."

"Piss off, Tuney," hissed Lily as she got her purse in the backseat too.

Petunia rolled down the window and pointed a long thin finger at the approaching Severus. "Listen up, you greasy git. This is my freak-sister and only am I allowed to make her feel like shit on a whim. Now bugger off!"

Lily rolled her eyes as she quickly slid into the passenger seat. It wasn't the best defense she's heard, but it was the best that she could ask from Petunia.

"Lily, please," Severus said as he finally got to the car. "Just give me a chance-"

"Fat chance," hissed Petunia as she drove away at the speed of light. "I always knew he was a good-for-nothing creep. He's even more of a freak than you are, Lily."

"Thanks, Petunia," Lily said sarcastically as she wiped away the one tear that actually fell.

* * *

 _I know, major lack of Jily for the past two chapters, but you'll definitely see some well-deserved time in the next chapter. I hope you enjoyed and thank you for the reviews, follows, and that favorite. It means so much. 3_

 _I hope everyone had a Happy New Year and wish peaceful beginnings to 2017!_

 _XO,_

 _Rose_


	5. Chapter 5

**December 28** **th** **, 1976**

Lily Evans had spent most of her vacation time spending it with her family. She and her mum did a lot of christmas shopping and cooking together; her father and she watched marathons of Dr. Who and Sherlock Holmes; and she rarely saw Petunia, which was good because that meant less screaming matches. On her own, she spent a good deal of time reading romance novels and writing in her journal. She spent most of her time trying to avoid looking at the Daily Prophet; she decided a few days without worrying about the state of the nation would do her some mental good. It was a relatively relaxed vacation, which she sorely needed. The only time it was not peaceful was when she and her father were discussing New Year's Eve plans.

"Dad, it's called _Portkey,"_ Lily clarified as she trotted down the stairs behind her father, "and it's completely safe. Wizards use it all the time as their usual mode of transportation."

Mr. Lucas Evans did not look so convinced. He appreciated the magical world that his daughter lived and breathed in, but a flying book that would magically lead her to Scotland sounded a little outlandish. "You don't have your broom to take you?" He taunted.

"I hate flying," Lily said logically.

Mr. Evans turned and raised an eyebrow. "But don't all witches use-"

"No, Dad, not all witches use broomsticks to fly," Lily said curtly. "But seriously, there is a portkey that the McKinnons set up so that I could go. It's on the outskirts of town and it's the easiest option. It's that or I go through the chimney."

"Not the chimney!" called out Mrs. Penelope Evans from the kitchen, working on the family's budgeting. "I cleaned that just yesterday, and I don't want any magical substances in there!"

Lily looked to her father with a pleased grin. "Portkey it seems-"

"No, Lily," her father bellowed. He gave her a final sort-of look; the one that meant don't pester him anymore unless she was looking to be grounded for a week. "You told me that there is War going on right now, correct? I don't like the idea of my youngest, under-age, daughter walking around and traveling through books alone. And that's final. If these McKinnons are so well-known in the Wizarding world than I'm sure they can find another way for you to get to their party."

Lily was about to protest, but even her mother gave her a look as she peered up from her filing. It looked Lily was not getting out of this one. She trotted back up the stairs and muttered under her breath, "fine, fine."

She resorted to her room, or her safe haven; it was truly a lovely space for the sixteen year old witch. It was filled with stacks of novels that she's collected over the years, and magical textbooks lay strewn around the floor. She even had her own fireplace that was now burning dully. The top of her dresser had moving pictures of her friends at Hogwarts. There was one of her and Marlene at the end of their first year, another one of her, Marlene, Emmeline, and Mary at the end of the fourth year, and an old one of her and Severus when they were off to Hogwarts together that she could never seem to throw away. She had a lovely view of the backyard with the garden, the apple tree, and the rose bushes. Her bed was a double with lavender satin sheets and flower embroidery, and that was where she collapsed.

Lily thought long and hard about how she was going to get to the McKinnon party. Portkey was the safest and most accessible option. She rather be damned than fly her arse to Scotland in the cold wind; no one needed a case of vertigo before getting drunk. Her mother said no to the Floo Network. This just seemed downright impossible.

But, of course, nothing was impossible in the eyes of Marlene Kenna McKinnon. And she also had perfect timing.

The flames in her fireplace grew tall and for a second, Lily thought of using a water charm. But, she soon realize that it was not just an increase of ashes or flames, it was just imply Marlene. The outline of her face appeared in the ashes of the fire. You could see her round cheeks and big eyes; you could even see the outline of some of the curls closest to her face. "Oy, Lily!" She called out, embers bursting beside her.

Lily crouched down and smiled at the fire-face of her dear friend. "Happy late Christmas, Marls," she smiled.

"Happy Christmas, Lily," Marlene said cheerfully. "Now, what did your parents say about New Year's? I can only do this fire-charm for so long."

Lily shook her head doubtfully. "I don't know. My dad says no to the Portkey idea-"

"Portkeys are literally the safest way to get anywhere," Marlene deadpanned.

"I know, I know," Lily dismissed, "but he doesn't get it. My mum also doesn't want me to use the Floo Network."

"Bloody hell," Marlene cursed, "muggles never make it easy."

"Watch it, those are my parents," Lily warned.

"I know, Love, but muggles just don't get how easy our magic makes traveling," sighed Marlene. Lily could see Marlene's ember eyes roll backwards.

"My parents are afraid of the War," Lily explained rationally. "They're afraid of what might happen to me."

"Ah," her friend said shortly. "Well, that makes a lot of sense. Muggle-borns can't be too careful these days. You read about what happened in Edinborough? There was a full out battle between some Death Eaters and some members of the Order."

Lily bit her thumbnail and took a deep sigh. "How many?"

"Two were injured, no one died though," Marlene said in a tone that was somewhere in between grateful and tired. She could tell how anxious the War made Lily, so she switched topics. "All right, all right, back to the festivities. What will your parents allow? How can I be of service?"

Lily hesitated before responding. "I'm not sure, Marlene. They'll let me go if I'm with someone. But the way it's looking now… maybe I can't come," she ended dejectedly.

"No!" Marlene shouted, causing Lily to jump a little when she saw a few ashes fly up in rage. "Lily Evans, you are coming to this party. You will not leave me alone. Mary cancelled because she has something called 'the flu,' whatever the fuck that means. And Emmeline's family stole her on a surprise vacation to Seoul, so you ma'am, have no choice but my date and that's final. Am I clear?"

"How are you going to get me there then?" Lily countered hotly.

Marlene paused for a moment. An flaming hand came up to twirl a curl before a surprised and elated look came upon her face. "Ah! I'll get you a chauffeur! Perfect."

Lily raised a brow. "You know a Chauffeur?" She asked skeptically.

"One of my cousins are bound to be available to pick you up on the way," Marlene said coolly. "This'll be perfect. I'll tell whoever it is to pick you up at 9pm, does that work for you?"

Lily couldn't help but grin from ear to ear. She loved Cokeworth, but a chance to party with Marlene was too good to be true. "As long as it's not too much trouble for whichever cousin it is," Lily said. "I don't want to cause a hassle."

"No, don't worry about it, Darling. I'll have to make some calls. I'll see you soon!" Marlene said hurriedly.

"See you!"

Marlene's face popped away, and the dim flames returned. Lily sat back on her bottom and thanked whomever it was up there for blessing her with such an accommodating friend. She wondered which cousin Marlene would send. The McKinnons were vast in number so there could any one of them. She just hoped that Marlene wasn't sick enough to send the most loathed cousin of them all.

* * *

"James! James!"

Marlene popped through the Potter's sitting room chimney, walking though green flames. Marlene's mother and James' mother had set up a Floo System between the two houses when the kids were young. The mothers would often have tea together and borrow cooking ingredients this way seamlessly. James often used it as a child when he felt lonely, and Marlene would use it when she wanted to feel lonely.

Without thinking much of the layout of her home away from home, the blond ran through the living room and into the backyard and into the large glass green house. It was similar to the one at Hogwarts and very spacious. There were plants from all over the globe: China, Morocco, Thailand, the Swiss Alps, and the Dead Sea. Serena Potter cared for her plants tenderly, saying that loved are the key to an effective potion. Marlene opened the door and quickly shut it so that no cold air would enter for too long.

When Marlene turned around, she almost rolled over laughing at the sight. Her dear cousin was in pink plaid apron with his foster brother on his shoulders with a matching apron on. Sirius was trying to cut down some leaves off a purplish-brown vine that wrapped around the walls of the Green House. Mrs. Potter watched carefully, supervising the event.

"Marlene, give them a second," Mrs. Potter called out. "They're concentrating very hard right now. I need this leaf."

"Yeah, shut it, Marlene," grumbled James, doing his best to concentrate on not falling or letting his best mate fall.

"Oy, be nice to her," Mrs. Potter glared at her son. She turned to Marlene who approached and smiled, "Hi, Darling." She kissed her younger cousin on the cheek.

"Fucking finally!" Sirius shouted as he clipped the last troublesome leaf, trying to wiggle itself away from the teenage boy. He plopped the foliage into its container and patted James' forehead. "Put me down, Potter. I don't feel comfortable with your head in between my legs."

"Oh, yes, Sirius," grunted James as he tried to bend down slowly. "This is exactly where I want to be too."

Once Sirius was close enough to the ground, he slid off his friend's shoulders. He patted himself clean, as if he had just survived a dangerous climbing exhibition. "What does this do?" Sirius asked as he glared at the still-squirming leaf.

Mrs. Serena Potter owned a small at-home apothecary. All around England, even all around western Europe, she was known. Considering the immense wealth of the Potters, she didn't necessarily have to work but she enjoyed brewing medicinal potions ever since she was a young witch herself. "This," Mrs. Potter said as she took the container, "will help me in creating a very efficient and mild sedative for HitWizards and Aurors who are suffering from night terrors or delusions."

"Oh, so like a sleeping potion?" inquired Sirius. The young boy always found Mrs. Potter to be a rather interesting woman - considerably kinder, warmer, smarter, and gentler than his own.

"Sort of," She laughed as she tucked it away in her storage cabinet. "It just isn't for sleep. It's for daily functioning. I'm still working on it." She looked at the clock and immediately jumped at the sight. "Oh, Merlin's Beard, I'm going to be late again," she moaned. She looked back at the three young teenagers and said, "I have an important meeting with the Head Healer at St. Mugno's. Cheers, everyone!" She kissed each teenager on the forehead before running at the door of her GreenHouse. "See you at New Year's, Marlene Dear. Say hi to your mum for me, and that'll bring my Pumpkin Pie!"

"Will do, Aunt Serena," smiled Marlene.

James, who was still cracking his neck from the weight of Sirius, looked over to his cousin. "How is the planning going?" He asked. "Your parents must be going bonkers."

Marlene rolled her eyes. "You have no idea," she said ghastly, "mum is on a rampage and is taking the rest of us down with her. We have quite the musical guest list too."

"Will The Beatles be coming?" Sirius asked coyishly, knowing that they were the Blond's utmost favorite band.

"I wish," Marlene sighed dreamily. "What I would to Harrison if he were there-"

James smacked his entire hand over Marlene's mouth and said, "No one's interested in your sex life, Marlene."

Sirius looked up for a moment, but thought better of it, and proceeded to snoop around the Green House in hope that Mrs. Potter still kept that muggle Marijuana plant.

Marlene removed James' hand from her face as if it were a disgusting rag. She let his hand drop and said, "I actually wanted to talk to you about the party."

James looked at her cautiously as he cracked his neck one last time. "What do you want?" he asked.

"Who said I wanted something?" She asked hotly.

James scoffed. He had heard this winning tonal combo before one too many times in his short life. First, Marlene would act sweetly, and then defensively when someone would call her out on her true intentions. "Because you sounded actually nice to me," James revealed knowingly as he slipped his Golden Snitch back in his pocket.

"I _always_ speak kindly towards you, James," Marlene said as she put her hand over her heart, offended that her dear cousin would say such a thing.

"No need for dramatics, Marlene," he insisted as he began to head out of the Green House. He looked back for Sirius and called out, "Come on, Pads, she doesn't have it anymore, remember!"

Sirius popped up from behind a metal table with pots of wolfsbane growing on top if. He glared and stated surely, "I know she has another plant. Who would just discard a plant with such high value like that!"

James shrugged, "If she doesn't want you finding it, Sirius, you won't." He had known that for living with his mother for almost seventeen years. Sirius, on the other hand, was just figuring that out. Years of living with a neglectful father, an erratic mother, an indifferent brother, and a vulnerable house elf taught Sirius he could find anything within a household if he looked hard enough for it. After another quick search, Sirius shuffled out of the Green House, kicking stones in frustration.

"Now," James said as he directed his attention back at his cousin, "What do you want from me again?"

"It really won't be any trouble," insisted Marlene, trying to sound as diplomatic as possible. "But, I was wondering if you, and Sirius - I guess - could pick someone up on your way to the party. Her father is pretty stubborn when it comes to her traveling alone, and she's also just barely underage. I was thinking, that since you're relatively close to her, that you'd be able to pick her up and bring her?" Marlene batted her long eyelashes at him as if she were a puppy. She continued to try this technique despite it not working in the past ten years.

James raised an eyebrow because he knew that Marlene Kenna McKinnon always had an agenda. Before he could interrogate her further, Sirius spoke up from behind them. "It'll have to be a solo escort mission," he said coolly as his friend and his housemate looked back at him.

Marlene gawked at him. "Black, are you not coming?"

Sirius put his hands up defensively and gave her a charming smirk. "Of course I'm coming, McKinnon," he said obviously. "I'm just going to be coming in late. I have to go to a dinner with my Uncle."

"I thought your family hated you," Marlene said tactlessly, not that she even noticed.

Sirius nodded in agreement, unaffected by the bluntness of the statement. "Oh, they do," he agreed indifferently, "uncle Alphard is the only one in the family with sense. He wants to talk to me about my future."

James raised an eyebrow and thought of investigating the circumstance further, but he didn't want to do so in front of Marlene. When Sirius discussed his family, he either became extremely indifferent or would go on a two-hour long in-depth rampage. Also, he didn't like doing the latter outside of Marauder company.

The tallest of the three looked to Marlene and adjusted his glasses. This escort mission sounded less and less appealing. "Do I have to?" asked James. He thought of many things he'd rather be doing instead of picking up a guest. He would rather be drinking fire whiskey with Remus and Peter, smoking a cigarette while listening to David Bowie to calm his nerves, or wanking off to thoughts of girls he shouldn't be.

"I'll tell your mum that you were the one to destroy the china set back in '74," Marlene smiled devilishly.

James glared at her. "That's low, Marlene, even for you."

She smiled proudly. "So, that's a yes?"

He rubbed his chin as they walked back into the Main House. He wiped his feet and held the door open for his comrades. "Who's the bird?" asked James. This would be the deciding factor. Maybe it would be a pretty bird like the Gryffindor seventh year, Amara Hunt, or Marlene's maternal (so not his) distant cousin, Olivia Copper. That would be fine. Better yet, a french beauxbatons girl would be exceptionally lovely. He would even be okay with picking up Dorcas Meadowes; that way he could finally ask her how she mentally hijacked Parkinson's mind and turned him cool for once.

Marlene looked down to her feet. "Uh, she goes to school with us," she said evasively. They entered the sitting room and skimmed through the latest edition of _Witch Weekly._

"Do I know her?" James asked, sensing the blond's sudden mood shift.

"Most likely," Marlene hesitated.

"In our house?"

"Yes," she added slowly. "Oh! Look, horoscopes! Let's see what they say in store for the New Year. What's your star sign, Black?"

"Scorpio," Sirius informed as he scooted closer to Marlene, peering over to see the magazine.

"Don't indulge her!" James demanded. "She's hiding something. Who's the girl, Marlene?"

Marlene pointed to the magazine and said in a overly chipper voice, "It says for Aries that you should expect some exciting surprises for 1977."

James glared. "Marlene." His voice became impatient.

"Come now, James, don't get harsh."

"Come now, Marlene, don't get shady," he said in a louder voice. Despite Marlene being his favorite cousin and one of his best mates, the girl always had an agenda.

Marlene sighed exasperatedly. "Fine, it's Lily."

Without even looking up from the article, Sirius let out a low whistle.

James, on the other hand, just stared for a long moment. He didn't blink, and it didn't even look like he was breathing. He simply glowered at his cousin. He reached for his wand, but she pointed hers at him first. "Who's the legal one, James," Marlene threatened.

"Why on earth should I bring Lily Evans to _your_ family party?" James hissed. "What're you trying to do to me? Have her blow me up? Have us clawing at each other before we even stepped over your threshold?" _Make me have a hard-on into the new year?_ His brain wanted to add, but his conscious would't.

"Oh come off it," Marlene scoffed, "you and Lily were talking just fine at the Prewetts' party. You two will be just fine."

James shook his head fiercely, letting his black hair rock back and forth. "That's because we were both drunk. You are asking us to be _alone_ and _sober."_

"Alone for literally fifteen minutes!" insisted Marlene. She nearly threw the magazine at him, but Sirius snatched it away just in time. She looked at him as if he were mad.

"What?" He asked casually. "I'm interested in horoscopes." He returned to his reading as the two cousins resumed their spat.

"Fifteen minutes is a long time, Marlene," James argued. "Evans and I have nearly taken out first year bystanders when arguing. Imagine what we could do alone in a muggle town... for fifteen minutes!"

"Then be on your best behavior!" shouted Marlene. "Be a decent person in front of Lily Evans for once in your life. Show her the James that we see! Who knows? You two may even get a long."

Sirius let out sharp bark of a laugh. "Yeah, show Evans the one we see in the locker room after a long and hard game. Shower James. She'll love that."

Marlene smacked him upside the head, which caused the friend to yelp. She then looked back at James. "Now, listen. I wouldn't ask this of you if I had another reasonable choice. Max is picking up Great-Aunt Blair; McKinley and Merna are coming in from Spain; and I have to help Mum set up the food. Also, Lily only lives in Cokeworth, so it'll be very easy for you to grab her, portkey with her, and then come to the party. Is that so bloody difficult for you?"

James's face softened. "Cokeworth?" For all the years that he's known Lily Evans, and of all the years he's been madly obsessed with the ginger, he did not know that she only lived a village over. He had been so close to her that he could even take muggle transportation to get to her. Something coiled in James' stomach that even his mother's medicine could not settle.

"Yes, Cokeworth," Marlene repeated tiredly. She plopped back on the couch beside Sirius. "Now, will you do it?"

James contemplated this. His cousin wasn't making it easy for him to avoid Lily Evans, which had been his academic resolution for the sixth year. It would be easier to forget about her if he didn't have to come into contact with her, and Marlene knew that was his objective. He rubbed his forehead and said, "You're the most annoying cousin ever."

"But I'm also your favorite," she said proudly.

James looked up to Marlene with almost pleading eyes. "Why are you making me do this?" He asked softly. "This doesn't make the whole moving on business particularly easy."

"Because," Marlene started as she leaned forward and placed a hand on James' knee tenderly. She gave him a genuine smile and said, "she needs to know that you're a respectful human being. She needs to see that for herself too. Also, as I mentioned, this is a pretty reasonable request."

"Why do you think she needs to see that?" James insisted. "She hasn't seen that side to me ever. I don't reckon she'll be looking to, or be able to see it now."

"Because I want this New Year's to be pleasant," Marlene said. "This is the first one Lily's coming to, and I want the New Year's to be absolutely perfect. And it would be easier if my cousin and my best friend could get along decently enough to enjoy a damn good party and the new year, don't ya think?"

James ground his teeth. He didn't expect this to go as well as Marlene had planned, because when it came to Evans, nothing went well. His nonexistent relationship with a girl should never be this complicated. Hating her and adoring her made him so stupid. But, the baddest part of James, the part that wanted _taken_ Lily Evans, all to himself spoke first: "where's the portkey and what's the bloody address?"

* * *

 **December 31** **st** **, 1976**

James didn't live in a town, ever, or even a village. He lived in a large estate alone with his parents and an absurd amount of land, close to a village. He was not used to having neighborhoods or navigating in towns where every bloody house looked the same. The only time he did adjust was when he stayed with his family at their cottage in the quaint village Godric's Hollow. As he walked through the barely lit streets of Cokeworth, he couldn't help but think of how dismal the town was. But then again, he was still in a state of shock (and adrenaline) that he would be picking up Lily Evans for a party.

At some point in James' life, probably around the age of thirteen, this was most definitely a wonderful fantasy he'd indulge in to make the time pass. He would pick up Lily Evans from her house and take her on marvelous date. He just didn't expect her to live in glum place like this. The weather even seemed chillier here.

James wrapped his dress robes around him a little more tightly as he turned a corner onto BlackSmith Lane. He looked dashing, according to Mrs. Potter, and less of a slob, according to Sirius and Mr. Potter. He sported on black slacks, a crisp white shirt, shined dress shoes, and crimson tie. His hair was even slicked back, as much as the disobedient follicles could be. And if he were honest with himself, he knew that he looked good. Maybe Lily Evans would agree with him.

 _Probably not,_ the rational half of his brain commented.

Lily Evans would never admit that, except she already had once. In the astronomy tower, she had told him that he had beautiful eyes and well, it's not like he was ever going to forget that moment in his life. But realistically, she was definitely inebriated that night and barely knew what she was talking about. Still, just thinking of that made his heart spin in his chest.

James came to 21 BlackSmith Lane, which was supposed to be Lily's house. It looked like the rest of the houses he had seen in Cokeworth thus far. A two-story house with dark paneling, a dark roof, and a white picket fence. However, James couldn't help but smirk at the large blinking Christmas sign plastered against the side of the house. A blow-up doll of Saint Nicholas in his carriage with reindeer greeted James on the other side of the fence too. He never took cool Lily Evans as the festive type, but maybe it was her family.

James passed through the fence and arrived at the front door. He knocked on the door a few times and waited with his hands stuffed in his pocket. After a few moments, he heard a rather screechy voice call, "Coming!"

If you had a met James a year ago, he would have vocalized a rather nasty remark.

The door opened by a smiling young woman who James immediately identified as the elder Evans sister. He had known that Lily had a sister; it was common knowledge amongst the Gryffindors that she had a rather nasty sibling. He managed them to at least look similar though. There was something soft, delicate, and sweet about Lily's looks, while the elder sister looked rather striking. She was beautiful too, one could say. She had thin shoulder-length dirty blond hair, sharp cheekbones, and dark cold eyes. They looked completely unrelated, but according to the rumor mill known as Marlene McKinnon, their personalities were also completely unrelated.

The sister stood a little taller at the sight of James. The smile faded, and James could tell that she expecting someone else. She looked at him appraisingly before asking in a short tone, "Who are you?"

"I'm… a friend of Lily's," James said, trying to sound sure of himself. It would be best if the Evans parents didn't hate him upon arrival. Lily must've had at least told one horrible incident involving him. He acknowledged that they probably would not be pleased knowing that their daughter was being picked up by the idiot boy who annoyed the shite out of her.

The sister stiffened as if she had seen a dementor. Her eyes widened into saucers, and she stopped breathing for a long moment.

 _Did I fucking kill her?_ James thought. Or did she already know it was him? Merlin, what had Lily Evans said about him?

The sister pointed a finger at him and frowned, "Are y-you a freak like her?"

James really tried his hardest not to smile because Marlene had been right to call the girl "an ostrich-looking Salem skeptic." So, he cleared his throat and leaned forward a bit so that they were at eye-level; the sister nearly yelped at that. He smirked and said, "Love, I'm the freakiest of them all." He wiggled the band of his glasses, causing them to shake. "I charmed these with X-ray vision."

The girl let out a nearly deadly squeak of terror causing James to immediately step back, regretting his actions immediately. She wriggled his ear cavity with his finger once he was done.

"Petunia!" shouted a loud female voice. James saw a middle-aged redheaded woman in a black wrap dress come down the stairs. "Why are you screaming at the guest?! Please come on, excuse my daughter."

"Mum!" Petunia Evans squealed as she looked back at her mother desperately; she tried pointlessly to cover her body with her long limbs. "Lily brought back one of her freak friends! He has X-ray vision."

Mrs. Potter raised a skeptical eyebrow and looked past her eldest daughter. "Are you the wizard that's bringing my daughter to that party?" asked Mrs. Evans.

He was surprised that Mrs. Evans didn't kick him right out the door. So he tried to the charming tactic. "Yes," James said in his most gentlemanly voice. "They're not really X-ray, I promise. I just have a nasty speech habit; it's how I attempt to make friends with magic-skeptics." He hoped his honesty would be well-received.

Petunia cursed while Mrs. Evans chuckled. She gave her daughter a small shove and said, "Good, keep doing it. Maybe she'll realize that she's too prejudice towards wizards and witches. Hi, I'm Penny Evans. Nice to meet you."

"James Potter," he said, taking Mrs. Evan's hand firmly.

Mrs. Evans' face lit up at the name. "Oh, so you're the boy who annoys my Lily so much, huh?" she asked jokingly.

"I'm doing my best to withdrawal, ma'am," James said honestly.

Mrs. Evans laughed. "No, no, keep annoying her. She's too snappy. Maybe you'll finally tame her smart mouth."

James couldn't help but smirk. "I don't think that anyone can tame your daughter, Mrs. Evans."

"Well, as long as you're not one of those magic supermascits she rants about, come sit down." It was obvious that Lily updated her parents about the mess of their world. That was probably why James was in this mess, but he didn't blame the Evans parents to be protective of their vulnerable daughter.

"Mum, is that one of the McKinnon's?" James immediately recognized the voice as Lily Evan's. He immediately gulped. Had Marlene not told Lily that he was picking her up? As he instantly thought of hexing Marlene's room full of spiders and cursing her hairbrush, he just let out a long breath.

"No," Mrs. Evans called out, "it's James Potter."

There was a pause, and James swore he heard something drop upstairs. He heard feet running down the stairs, and he turned around to see Lily Evans in a white satin bath kimono with her hair tied up in a messy bun. Her green eyes were wide with terror and it looked she was about to break the banister the way she was gripping it. Their eyes connected, and James swore he nearly came at the sight of her like that. He had seen her in nightgown before once during a night prank in their fourth year, but this was a whole different situation.

"She sent you?" Lily asked after about two or three minutes of silence. She composed herself and tried to seem as relaxed as possible.

James nodded, trying his hardest not to stare, "She sent me."

Lily let out a scoff of disbelief and wiped her hands over her face. "Oh, I'm gonna murder her," she mumbled loudly as she headed back up the stairs.

"Only after me, Evans," he called back. _Fuck,_ James nearly gasped when he saw the outline of Lily's soft breasts through the thin material of the robe. _Get it together, Potter,_ his mind shouted, while his body shouted something very different.

"Don't break anything, okay?" Lily called back dully, despite being out of sight. "Watch out, Mum. This is one is a kleptomaniac and egomaniac."

James sucked his teeth as Mrs. Evans' let out an amused laugh. "Oh, I knew Lily would make fun friends at that school."

"Yes," James said awkwardly, "that would be one way to put it."

* * *

 _A little snapshot of Jily and you will see more in the next chapter, I promise! Please review, favorite, and follow. Hope you enjoyed and are having a fabulous new year._

 _\- Rose Yu_


	6. Chapter 6

**December 31** **st** **, 1976**

Remus J. Lupin was terribly awkward at times. Although he was often considered the cool and composed Marauder, there were times the young Gryffindor prefect was more anxious than his constantly worried-sick mother. Right now was one of those times. He was completely on edge, tapping his foot rapidly against the beat of the music within the incredible McKinnon castle with his hands stuffed into his pocket trousers. The full moon was coming in just a few days, and he's been feeling the onslaught approaching ever since he left Hogwarts for the break. Waiting for the full moon was long and dreadful. He felt like clawing his own eyes out sometimes, and his temper was shorter than Peter. Tonight made no exception.

Remus stood by the food table in the McKinnon's version of the Great Hall. There were chairs and small circular tables on the side, allowing for an ample amount of dancing space. There were mountains and range of exotic foods and what seemed like a limitless collection of champagne and liquor. Floating silver trays roamed through the Hall and would stop at empty handed guests. It seemed like the McKinnons did not really care about drinking laws, which Remus did not mind at all. Speaking of guests, there must have been at least two to three hundred people in the castle. Although he had attended last year, it was still extremely surprising to see witches and wizards from all parts of the world. However, where were the friends from his world?

Remus took a flute of champagne from the floating tray and watched it whisk off. The tray landed by a few girls around his age. One girl with olive skin, long dark hair, and a pink, rather tight dress caught his eye. She smiled at him and waved politely.

Out of sheer cordiality, Remus raised his glass and waited for the girl to do the same. They both sipped together, and Remus felt a small ache in his bones. The restlessness that the full moon created was creeping in. Like a shacked up dog, Remus felt the need to run, rip things a part, or howl.

Or maybe fuck the shit out of that fit girl.

Remus immediately shook his head and finished the champagne. He wanted to smack himself in the face. He hated the control of the full moon, and how it turned him into a literal monster sometimes. He took a deep breath and looked up to ceiling, praying that James and Sirius would appear soon to distract him from himself.

* * *

James could have killed his cousin. He thought of doing it with his own hands this time, placing them around Marlene's neck and wringing it tightly. Why was she so rudy difficult?

"She didn't tell you where the portkey was?" hissed Lily Evans, holding her trench coat over her body tightly. It wasn't so cold for a New Year's Eve, but her dress was not made of the thickest material. She had remembered the way James had looked at her when she came down the stairs from her bedroom, ready for the McKinnon party. She wore a long v-neck black dress with silver sequence outlining her chest and waist. Her red hair was tucked into a neat knot at the top of her head, and she wore a string of small pearls around her neck. To say that Lily was not a little amused by James' audible gulp would be an outright lie. She knew she should not have been pleased by this fact because poor Connor would loose his mind at the thought of James Potter picking her up, but what was a girl to do. James also looked quite… well-put together for once in his life. He sleeked his hair, wore a clean and pressed suit, and the air of arrogance usually surrounding the Quidditch Captain shifted itself to seem more like charisma. She tried not too look to hard into it. However, she was now thoroughly unamused with the useless prick.

James let out an irritated groan as he stood up from the bush he was inspecting. "No," he said shortly, "Marlene told me that it was a photograph in Cokeworth's Pickle Square, all right? That's all I got."

Lily crossed her arms. "What kind of picture?" she asked.

"Bloody hell if I know," he said. "Apparently, it's a picture of she and I when we were young."

Lily let out a long sigh as they stood in the empty square. She tapped her finger against her lips. Marlene always had an agenda, and of course would try to make his a scavenger hunt and bonding session between her and James Potter. Lily was nowhere near interested in bonding with Potter, but it seemed like Marlene would give them no choice. The least she could do was help to speed up the process of being alone with him. "I'll look over there," Lily said as she pointed to the opposite bench.

"Sure, sure," James grumbled. He must have not been too happy to be in this predicament either.

Lily bent down and looked underneath the bench, behind the bench, and through the cracks of the bench. She inspected the bushes behind it, and even looked inside the sewer to see if it had fallen in. No luck.

Would she be stuck only with James Potter on New Year's Eve? No, Marlene was a trickster, but not a bitch. She wouldn't do that to her. Or maybe she would if Marlene's lifelong fantasy of arranging the marriage between the two would finally be fulfilled. If it was the latter, Lily thought of a brutal vomiting potion that she had learned on her own last summer.

"I'll murder her."

Lily's head snapped out of her own plan of attack as she looked back at James. He was standing underneath the wooden arch that lead into the park and stared at its top. Lily moved hesitantly to stand next to him and looked up. At first, she wondered what the idiot was glaring at, but she soon saw a moving photograph of a young James falling off of his broomstick after being hit by Marlene's quaffle. It was rather silly, but Lily couldn't help but chuckle.

"So, flying wasn't always your forte?" she teased.

James scoffed. "Evans, I was made to fly. Marlene had always been jealous that I was better at her than that."

That was true. Lily had been to a few, not all the Quidditch games, and the one thing she did give James Potter was that he was the most fluid flyer she had ever seen. He would duck in and out and past other flyers with ease, like he was frolicking in a flower field even. He could even jump off his broom and land on it again while in the air. The thought of that made Lily's fear of heights spike.

Another thing made Lily's fear spike. She was considerably shorter than James and was much farther away from being able to grasp the picture. This would make the co-magical transportation impossible. Oh, how should we strangle Marlene McKinnon.

"Well," he said coolly, breaking from her stream of conscious that only James Potter could, "we best be off. This has been too much of a trek anyway." He offered his hand out and looked to Lily.

She gave him a skeptical look, despite thinking about the same thing.

"Oh come off it, Evans," James scoffed, "we're not in grade school anymore. I don't have cooties."

"Just a lingering STD perhaps," Lily teased.

"I cast my daily charm for my crabs," James countered greasily, "Now, come on. I'm not nearly inebriated enough."

Lily looked down at James' hand and sighed. She reluctantly put her hand on his and almost gasped at the rough skin. Callouses from Quidditch, she deducted. They were coarse under her soft skin; it felt nice.

With his other hand, James reached up to grasp the picture. But right before he did, he looked down at Lily Evans with serious eyes and asked, "Have you ever actually travelled via portkey, Evans?"

Lily hesitated. "No."

"You're going to have to hold on much tighter than that, Love, unless you want to end up in someone's house along the way," he said solemnly as he grasped her hand tightly. "I won't break you," he added with a charming smile.

"You're a dog, Potter," Lily grumbled as she looked away, feeling like a petulant child. She hated that she was genuinely surprised the warmth and strength of the boy's hands.

James chuckled. "Nah, that's Sirius, Love. I'm the stag."

Lily let out a guffaw and really wanted to know what that meant, but before she could question the strange comparison, she felt a tight spiraling sensation as she was lifted away from Cokeworth.

* * *

Remus wanted to be lifted away as of right now, and the alcohol was just not cutting it. It had been thirty minutes, and still no sign of Sirius or James. Remus had temporarily distracted himself with his two fellow housemates: Hestia Jones and Camilla Henley. Hestia had a baby face with plump cheeks, copper hair, and big blue eyes. Camilla had a more mature air to here with shoulder-length brown hair, warm sun-kissed skin, and light brown eyes. They were both nice enough girls, but could not nearly distract Remus long enough to keep him from his own self-loathing.

Once he had encouraged the two girls to talk to some musicians from Morocco, Remus left the main party hall and went outside for a spliff. He was not partial to cigarettes like James and Sirius because the nicotine rush never felt as great as they made it out to be, but sprinkle a little tobacco with some weed was the perfect solution to pre-lunar angst. He pulled out his pack of spliffs and set one to his lips. He reached around for his lighter in his coat pocket and let it burn.

Remus immediately felt a calming sensation in his body. Luckily, there was an endless supply of marijuana at his place with his sick mother and her werewolf son. The Ministry did allow the medical usage of marijuana for him, thank Merlin. He sat against the window ledge on the patio and when he leaned his back against it, he nearly fell. He lost his balance at the sight of Dorcas Meadowes.

Of all the random people that he expected to meet at the wild McKinnon party (supremacist purebloods, foreign muggle borns, dwarves, and even a centaur maybe), Remus did not expect to see the young Slytherin girl to be approaching him. His mouth immediately became dry, and it wasn't because of the spliff.

Dorcas looked… stunning. Remus always considered her to be naturally striking, but tonight just enhanced everything about her. She wore a white loose v-neck blouse, showing off ample amounts of cleavage. On her bottom, she wore high-waisted black slacks and tall pumps. Her long raven black hair was tucked to her right side, letting her sharp jawline show. She looked like sin, and Remus had to remind himself not to be a messy friend to Sirius.

"Mind if I join you for a smoke?" She asked casually as she placed her flute of champagne down on an empty tray beside them.

In his most casual voice, Remus scooted over and said, "Please." Remus had never really had a conversation with Dorcas until today. They've previously had several classes together, but a conversation never occurred until now. He had always thought she was easy on the eyes, but never did anything about it because she looked colder than ice itself. He felt like almost as nervous as a twelve year old speaking to his first crush.

Dorcas sat beside him and crossed her legs. She pulled out a cig and looked for her lighter. When she stopped patting down her body, realizing that she did not have one, Remus provided one. He leaned forward and cupped his hands to make sure the wind wouldn't take out the flame. Both peered up at each other when they noticed how close they were to one another.

Remus pulled back and took another drag of his spliff. He smiled at her as she puffed away. "Honestly, I did not expect to be sitting next to you at this party, Meadowes. I didn't know you would be attending."

"You and me both," Dorcas agreed as she let out a large puff of smoke. "I see what people mean about the McKinnon's throwing wild parties."

"Yes, it's rather shocking the first time. Marlene invited you I take it?"

Dorcas nodded. "She and Evans felt rather sorry for me after I escorted Parkinson, Avery, and Mulciber out of the Astronomy Tower party. So, they invited me. Very nice of them."

"They're both kind people," he added. "And you definitely deserve the extra party time out of everyone." He had never seen Dorcas smile until now; it was actually rather pretty.

"No one else could have done what you did," Remus went on, almost rambling at this point. This caused Dorcas to raise an eyebrow, but she said nothing else. Remus kept going. Maybe it was his own curiosity; maybe it was the lack of filter caused by the full moon; maybe it was the powerful feeling of knowing someone else's secret; or maybe it was the fact that he was sitting next to one of the most beautiful people he had ever laid eyes on. Either way, he went on. "How does it work?" He asked casually.

Dorcas froze, not due to the cold air, but by his words. They literally sent a shiver down her spine. "What're you talking about?" She asked, trying to remain neutral.

"Your legilimens skill," Remus said in a low voice. He expected some sort of reaction, but received only a long sigh in response.

"That's quite an accusation, Lupin," Dorcas said in a clipped voice. "Legilimency is not taught at Hogwarts."

"And you and I both know that there are wizards and witches born with the skill," he added confidently as he threw the roach of spliff into the distance.

"That's a very rare gift to be born with."

"So, will you share the secret of the rarity?"

Dorcas scoffed as she took one of her last drags. As she blew the rest into the night sky, she gave Remus an intense look. Her eyes narrowed at him, but didn't look intimidating. "It's like reading someone's entire life story through a picture book. There are flashes of memories, and the most immediate thoughts are the most clear," she revealed.

"How do you concentrate in class?" Remus asked, now just genuinely curious.

Dorcas threw the butt of her cig and crossed her arms. "You just learn to. It becomes necessary unless you want to go insane or be more of social outcast than I already am," she said solemnly. "Dumbledore helped too, especially in first and second years."

"Thank Merlin for Dumbledore." Remus resonated with that, putting up with it and learning how to cope to seem relatively normal. "What am I thinking?" Remus teased, imagining the number four.

The brunette laughed and said, "I prefer not to now that I've learned how to stay out of people's heads. It's… rude."

"I'm giving you permission," Remus countered.

"I've learned that even when people think they want to be read, it's not quite true," explained Dorcas, as she ran a hand through her lush hair. "No one wants their mind violated by another."

Remus nodded slowly when he heard that. He respected that and said, "I won't tell anyone."

"I know," Dorcas said surely as she reached for her drink.

Remus' brow furrowed. He appreciated that she took him for his word, but was also interested in why she was sure of him.

Dorcas finished her champagne in one quick swig and wiped the excess from her red lips. She stood up and said, "If anyone here knows how to keep secret, Lupin, I know it's you."

Remus' breath hitched and nearly choked on air when he heard Dorcas say those words. He watched her walk away with a clenched jaw. Before she turned the corner to go back inside the castle, Dorcas gave him a wink. "Don't worry, I can keep secrets too."

Remus suddenly felt an incredible urge to vomit.

* * *

When the whooshing feeling finally came to an end, Lily felt an undeniable urge to vomit. Her legs were wobbly, and she felt like they were about to fall right out from under her. The only thing keeping her upright was James Potter, holding her one hand and his other hand steadying the small of her back.

"Evans, your balance is equivalent to that of a toddler," the speckled one said.

Once Lily made sure she was not going to hurl, she stood up straight and narrowed her eyes at him. "Not everyone enjoys pushing their body to the limit, Quidditch Captain."

James snickered as he released her. "And not everyone is afraid of a little fun and adrenaline, Miss Prefect."

"Oh, you'll see fun," Lily threatened determinedly as she straightened out her dress.

"I doubt you can do fun if it smacked you in the face."

"I can do fun! And don't get me started about smacks in the face."

"And I also doubt that you could reach all the way up here."

Lily and James gad a tendency to bicker about anything and everything. When they did so, they lost track of time, space, and all surrounding personnel. So, it took Lily a minute to realize that they were standing under a large oak tree with a wooden swing hanging from one of the sturdiest branches. Where was the castle, and where was the party?

"Where are we?" asked Lily.

James sighed, "The McKinnon land."

"Where's the party?" Lily asked. She could hear the loud jazz music in the distance, sort of north, but could definitely not see any signs of it.

He took off his glasses and rubbed them with the fabric of his shirt. "About a thirty minute walk from here," he said dully.

Lily, who was starring at the stars and trying to identify their exact location utilizing her astronomy skills, snapped her head at James and asked in an outraged voice, "What?!"

James picked up a small piece of parchment that lay on the swing and passed it to his traveling companion. "You know as well as I do that Marlene always has an agenda."

Lily took the parchment cautiously and read her best friend's note.

 _Now, maybe you two will be able to spend some quality time together. You can learn how to play nicely so that when midnight and 1977 come around everything will be smashing. Cheers to the new year._

 _\- Marls ;-]_

"Bitch," Lily spat as she crumpled the note.

James nodded in agreement as he started heading the direction of th music. "Better start moving then?" He suggested as she put a cigarette to his lips. "We're already fashionably late as is."

"You know where you're going?" Lily asked, confused and impressed all at once. She lifted the ends of her dress and trotted after James.

James' breath, combined with the cold and the cig, was foggy. He let out a mirthless laugh and said, "I grew up on this land. Marlene and I used to play on that swing all the time; we'd play out here for hours and hours."

Lily looked back at the swing and impinged two small children running around the tree together, chasing and tackling each other. Lily suddenly felt a pang go guilt hit her in the chest, because this is what Marlene must've meant. Lily had bad mouthed James Potter since the beginning of her time at Hogwarts because of his bullying and teasing ways, but Marlene must've grown up with a totally different side. It seemed to finally come together when Lily saw their play space together.

"You and Marlene must've had a lot of fun together growing up," Lily noted as she caught up to him. She caught a big wiff of his nicotine and let out a loud cough. "Jeez, were you the ones who got her onto cigs too?" She asked curt; the guilt had left as quickly as it came. It was so easy to pick a fight with James Potter, and he wold agree. She almost missed it since they had barely spoken a word since the beginning of their sixth year.

"Other way around," James informed. "It de-stresses you too, which is what I enjoy."

"It also kills your lungs."

To Lily's surprise, James didn't joke or laugh it off. He just took another drag and said, "I'm going to die anyway, Evans. Might as well enjoy it."

She thought about that for a moment. He had a point - a dismal one, but one nonetheless that of course James Potter would believe in. She let out a giggle.

James looked at her surprised. "Dark, Evans," he murmured. "Didn't think you'd find death to be a comical topic."

"No, it's definitely not," Lily laughed. She looked up at him, making his heart almost right then and there. "It's just very Gryffindor of you."

"Gryffindor of me?" He repeated.

"Yes, very much so."

"Oh, do share."

"You don't want to stop your own death, you just want to control it. Take charge of it," Lily explained casually. "And if that's not Gryffindor of you, I don't know what is."

James raised an eyebrow and tried his hardest not to smirk.

"It's still a nasty habit," she added at the end.

"I'm definitely not stopping now, Evans," he chuckled.

"And stubbornness is another nasty habit."

"Which you would know all about."

"Pfft," Lily snorted. "What's your astrological sign? Taurus-"

"Evans, you believe in astrological signs? Are you kidding me?!"

"So what? I'm clearly an aquarius."

They fought like this, as they always did up until their sixth year. They fell into their old routine of name-calling, teasing, and bringing up painful first-year memories that both should've clearly forgotten by now. And a half hour passed much faster than either one had thought could ever be.

* * *

Much happened at the McKinnon castle in the thirty minutes while Lily and James meandered through the open fields of the McKinnon land. Firstly, Dorcas drank multiple flutes of champagne in order to stop herself thinking about how Remus Lupin figured that she was a ligilmens. She tried to distract herself with the guests and finally found solace in a quiet young man. Secondly, the McKinnon twins (Merna and McKinley) sang with a wonderful duo group from Hong Kong. And lastly, Sirius Black finally arrived.

"Well, well," Sirius smiled brightly as he entered the McKinnon castle. He clapped his hands together as a herd of pretty girls rushed past him. "Oh, thank Merlin for the McKinnon's reproduction rates."

Sirius caught the eye of a pretty Indian girl wearing long magenta saris. She blinked her long eyelashes at him, but before he could even take one step to win her heart, he was almost swung to the floor. "Bloody hell," he cried as he tried to stand up. "Mr. Moony, it seems that you've been catching up for me."

"Yessss," Remus smiled, baring all of his teeth. "It's my newest therapy for my agoraphobia." He shoved a flute of champagne into his friend's hand.

Sirius let out a bark of a laugh. "Oh, I've missed you drunk. Cheers!" He clinked glasses with Remus, and they both downed their drinks.

Remus hiccuped and gave his friend an awkward look. "You have no idea what I've been through," he whined.

The more-sober of the two presented the way in for his friend. Remus walked unsteadily back into the great hall. "I've been soooo good all night. Firstly, there were so many good-looking birds; where to begin? See, that one in the hot-pink dress?" Remus pointed.

"The one that looks like Elizabeth Taylor?"

"Yeah, it took me all the sobriety and all my supposed dullness - as you call it - to not go over there and fuck the shite out of her against the table with the cakes."

Sirius almost spat out his drink. He forgot how blunt his friend could get when the full moon was so near. "That's my boy."

"And then, Jones and Henley were talking to me about the Moroccan musical blokes over there. The dullness of that conversation had me pulling out my hair nearly."

"Henley is looking rather smashing if you ask me."

"Yeah, but then guess who talked to me-"

"Elizabeth Taylor's other set of lips?"

Remus punched his friend's arm dramatically. "Where is your gentlemanly upbringing?!"

"Left when I left my parents' house. Now, who did you speak to? It better be someone juicy."

"Meadowes… who is now dancing with the eldest McKinnon."

Sirius's jaw jumped as he turned to see a drunk (and smiling) Dorcas Meadowes was dancing with blond, tall, handsome twenty-three year old Maxwell McKinnon. They were twirling around to some delicate waltz and chatting each other up. If Sirius' ego had a radar, it would have dropped two notches.

"Huh, she moves on rather quick," Sirius murmured rather sourly. Poor boy wasn't used to being the center of female attention.

"She thinks rather quick too," added Remus as he swiped another flute off a floating tray.

"What'd you mean by that?"

Remus realized that he had spoken too soon. He thought about sharing the fact that Meadowes may (or may not) be aware of his lycanthropy, because by consequent his besotted state may reveal her legilimency. And if Meadowes found that out, then who knows what the girl may do or say. Thank Merlin he had a somewhat decent filter.

Remus shrugged nonchalantly. "Don't know, Mate," he said before he tipped back his drink.

Sirius smirked and clapped his hand on his friend's back. "Busy looking elsewhere then, ay?"

Remus nodded quickly in agreement. "Sure, sure, great lips."

"Where's James?"

Remus was about to openly acknowledge his own ignorance concerning his friend's whereabouts, but then in the distance, he saw a long lanky-looking fellow with wind-swiped hair, round glasses, and a crooked smile on his face that must be James. "There's James… and Lily?" Remus noted, pointing in their direction.

He snapped his head around. Next to James was in fact Lily Evans wearing a long black dress, light yet charming make-up, and was that a smile on her face too? Sirius smirked, "1977 shows promise. Let's not ruin their moment."

"Never that," Remus agreed as they wandered through the crowd.

"You really did mean Gatsbyian," Lily noted as she observed the hoards of nicely-dressed people, pounding live music, and the plethora of booze. "This is…"

"Incredible, right?" James answered, taking her jacket off her arm without even thinking about it. He would've been surprised by the familiarity of the gesture, but he was more surprised that they managed to have a conversation (and relatively few bursts of taunting) while arriving here. He wasn't going to push his luck by reminding her. "See where Marlene gets her party-animal side?"

"Yes," Lily agreed. "Now I know why Marlene is never satisfied with the parties at Hogwarts. Oh!" She nearly squeaked when a floating tray appeared before. It moved closer to here when she did not take a flute of champagne, like a puppy would when not getting enough pets. "Thank you," she said with a polite smile. "Good party treatment."

"We know how to take care of our guests," James smirked.

"Which makes up for your extreme lack of tact," Lily countered playfully.

"Evans! Potter!"

Lily and James turned around and saw Hestia Jones and Camilla Henley walking towards them.

"We've been looking for you two!" Hestia exclaimed. "It's weird seeing you without your cohorts, Potter."

"Have you seen them per chance?" James asked.

"Lupin was drinking over there. Looked rather grumpy if you ask me," Camilla Henley explained. James finally got a decent look at her and actually looked quite beautiful. Henley always was pretty, but she never stood out to James. Until tonight apparently. She looked like a Roman goddess in her robes. She gave James a mischievous smile.

Lily noticed this smile and decided to take a nice swig of her champagne before thinking too much into the fact that she felt a pang of jealousy… no, envy, no… _who cares? Drink, Evans,_ her mind insisted.

"He sometimes gets like that when he wants to speak with women," James explained charmingly.

Hestia and Camilla giggled while Lily snorted. Before she could make a playful comment, she saw her curly-haired best friend had come up on the band stand. "Look, it's Marlene!"

James, Hestia, and Camilla turned to view inside the Great Hall. Marlene was in a dark blue dress with sheer long sleeves and a satin slip underneath. Her curly was full and framed her angular face gently. "Oh, she looks terrific," Camilla noted in an astonished voice.

"Runs in the family," winked James.

Camilla turned to James and gave him an appraising look. "Guess it does," she said softly as she turned back around to walk further inside the Hall.

On stage, Marlene cleared her throat. Her sister Merna - nineteen and slightly stockier than her sister - held a wand to her throat gently.

 _"_ _HELLO, EVERYONE!"_ Marlene's voice boomed through the hall. " _I HOPE YOU ARE ALL HAVING A SMASHING TIME! HOW GOES IT?!"_

The crowd let out a loud roar. Lily laughed because of how rambunctious the crowd was.

 _"_ _WELL, WELL, I WON'T STOP YOU. I PROMISE. I JUST WANT TO FIRST OF ALL PROPOSE A TOAST TO MY WONDERFUL ALCOHOLIC PARENTS, MALCOLM AND MCKENNA!"_

Marlene pointed to a tall pair of blonds, who had large glasses of wine in their hands. Most parents would chastise their children, but they just laughed and clinked their glasses, soaking in the cheers for them. Lily noted that they stood next to a similar-aged couple: the man had glasses and the woman was lanky as well. She thought that they must be the elder generation of Potters.

" _NOW, WE WANT TO THANK ALL OF YOU FOR JOINING IN OUR CELEBRATION OF THE NEW YEAR! SO, US MCKINNON CHILDREN, PREPARED A SONG FOR YOU LOT!"_

"Evans!"

Lily turned to see Dorcas Meadowes trotting towards her. Lily sucked in her breath and was astonished at how relaxed and gorgeous she looked. "Hi, Meadowes. You look stunning."

"You too," Dorcas nodded appreciatively.

It took Lily a minute before she realized that she was holding onto Maxwell McKinnon's hand. How interesting. "Hi, Max," she said coyishly with a small wave.

Max winked back at her. "Looking good, Lily."

" _LET ME INTRODUCE OUR BLOODY CLAN! ON THE DRUMS IS MY COUSIN, FIONA! ON THE BASS IS MY BROTHER, MCKINLEY! AND ON…"_

"Thank you for inviting me to this party," Dorcas smiled. "Honestly, I'm having a brilliant time."

"I can see that," Lily teased. "But it wasn't me, it was Marlene."

Dorcas gave Lily an oddly knowing look and said in a much more insistent tone, "Thank you, Evans."

Lily took a sip and noted Dorcas' genuine gratitude for her. "You're welcome, Meadowes." Lily, curious as ever, decided to agree with her, wondering why she was so passionate.

" _AND I'LL BE ON VOCALS! ENJOY!"_ Marlene finished.

"Let's get closer," James called pushing everyone forward. He gave a hug to his cousin Max as they moved further inside along with the rush of people.

Merna McKinnon ran over to the piano while Marlene grabbed for the mic. She tapped her foot to get a beat, and Fiona McKinnon set off the song. The talented McKinnon family started the song off with a 1920's Big Band feel as they started performing Nina Simone's "Feeling Good." When Marlene began singing, her voice melted the listener's ears like honey. It was low and raspy, surprising from the high-pitched Quidditch chaser.

"She can really sing," Dorcas noted in awe.

"Her voice was apparently too powerful to be in the frog choir," Lily informed her.

Dorcas snorted. "The prats."

They laughed together before Max McKinnon pulled her in for another dance. Lily smirked at their intimacy, never having seen Meadowes quite as fun-loving as before. She was about to turn to make a quip to James about Max and Meadowes, but he was busy too. He was holding Camilla Henley tightly with her back to his front. She snapped her head away, feeling embarrassed to see such a scene. She finished her drink quickly, trying to chase away the second pang of jealousy. She took another floating flute when she hated herself for not wanting to be with Connor too.

* * *

 _Hi Friends! I hope you got your Jily fill in for this chapter since there has been a major lack in the previous ones. Bless up to Marlene McKinnon. I also personally love Dorcas, and I hope you like her more and more too. Hehe._

 _The next chapter will be up soon!_

 _Thank you for the reviews, follows, and favorites. Those mean more to me than you'd think._

 _Enjoy,_

 _Rose_


	7. Chapter 7

**December 31** **st** **, 1976**

For once in his life, Sirius Black was left speechless twice in one night. First, his Uncle Alphard revealed that his impending death (which the older Black considered to be "a damn blessing") and was leaving his entire fortune to the young Gryffindor. The second one was at the sight of Marlene McKinnon. She looked like an angel singing; untouchable yet so close.

Sirius had spent countless days alongside Marlene McKinnon, due to both of their close relations to James. She was a pretty girl, but he had seen her long awkward phase of puffy hair, gangly limbs, and major acne. But something hit him on the last eve of 1976. She looked mesmerizing.

"You're drooling," noted Remus Lupin, who was finally sobering up on his water.

Sirius wiped his lower lip like a petulant child before staring back at Marlene tease him with her voice.

"Don't let James catch you oogling her like that," Remus informed.

"No harm in looking," Sirius shrugged as he took a shot of fire whiskey. "Also, it's Marlene we are talking about. Let's be realistic."

Remus had a snide remark formulate in his mind, but thought better of it. Sirius would have to work out his own issues.

Marlene and her family finished their impressive rendition of "Feeling Good," with a long high note that left the crowd screaming for more. They all bowed together before dispersing off the stage.

Once Marlene was finished hugging her family and bandmates, she looked down and saw Sirius Black talking to one of her older brother's friends from Hong Kong. She sucked in a breath when she saw him, not that she'd ever admit that out loud. Of all the Marauders, Marlene knew that Sirius could charm the knickers off _any_ girl he met… apparently even stone-heart Dorcas Meadowes. He'd win them over with that sleek hair, cocky smile, and arrogant aura. He did look good in that suit, and his collared shirt was just slim-fitting enough to see the lines of his biceps. And when did he get those?

Marlene nearly slapped herself. This was Sirius Black she was thinking about. She must've sounded like all the other birds who'd show off their tits with just a wink of his eye. Marlene scoffed and thought better of acknowledging her cousin's friend. But that didn't stop him from waving at her. Marlene pursed her lips and did the same briskly. She turned away and towards her sister, Merna, and said casually, "I think we got them excited for the fireworks, don't you?"

Merna let out a short laugh. She cocked her chin towards Sirius Black and said in an intentional tone, "Oh, _you_ sure did, Little sister... Does he always stare that much?"

Marlene didn't have to look back to know what, or whom rather, her sister was referring to. She knew Sirius' stare and wink trick; he'd seen it used so many times. It wasn't going to work on her. "I have no idea what you're taking about," Marlene deadpanned.

"He's gotten pretty nice-looking," Merna continued as she pulled out her wand. "Not that a Black can look poorly. It's in their blood."

"Merna, just give out the announcement," Marlene demanded shortly as she fixed her mic stand impatiently.

Merna laughed quietly to herself before she put her wand to her throat. " _ALRIGHT YOU LOT,"_ Her voice boomed through the crowd, _"GO OUTSIDE BECAUSE THERE WILL BE FIREWORKS IN PRECISELY TEN MINUTES. MAKE YOUR WISHES, HAVE YOUR SHAGS - JUST NOT IN OUR BEDS, AND TAKE OUT MORE ALCOHOL! LET'S GO!"_

"Come on, you lot! Let's take our shots!"

Sirius Black just finished explaining where the bathroom was to a very drunk party-goer when James Potter nearly jumped on his back.

"PRONGS! Where have you been?" shouted Sirius. "Oh, hello, Henley. You look… polished."

Camilla Henley gave both Sirius and Remus as she touched up her worn-off red lipstick.

Remus let out a low whistle before suggesting, "Why don't we go outside and see those fireworks? Must be pretty."

As everyone headed outwards the outside patio and field, Sirius elbowed James in the ribs and whispered, "And I'm called the dog of the group. Walking in with Lily Evans, and walking out for the new year with Camilla Henley. Impressive, Potter."

James scoffed as they all took a shot of firewhiskey. "Marlene made me pick Evans up, and then sent our fucking portkey thirty-minutes south."

Remus let out a loud, yet short laugh. As James gave him a dirty look, he recomposed himself. "What? I just wish I thought of that first," Remus said defensively.

"Sod off," hissed James. "Evans wouldn't spend more than 10 minutes if willing. You both know that."

"Everything seemed to go rather swimmingly from a bird's eye view," murmured Sirius. He opened the door for his two friends and Henley, who was following behind.

The night sky was beautiful with twinkling stars and a nearly full moon. The grandfather clock looked to be about 11:58pm, and everyone was gathering around excited by the firework show. Lily, Dorcas, and Max McKinnon stood closely nearby.

"Wish for something good," Lily told Dorcas in a kind voice. "We'll need it this year."

"Cheers that," Dorcas agreed as they clinked their glasses together.

"You know what I wish for, Evans," Sirius said as he put his arm around the ginger. "World peace and harem full of women. It's the little things in life, no?"

"If you reveal your wish, it won't come true," Lily said mockingly.

"Ooh, a skeptic," cooed Sirius.

"She has a point," shouted Marlene McKinnon as she approached her hoard of friends. She had two shots in her hand, and one was down her hatch within two seconds. "Can't tell anyone, which must be hard for you, Black, with that mouth of yours," she added curtly.

"Your voice was lovely when singing, McKinnon," Sirius retorted, "maybe we should keep it that way."

"Oh, charming, Black," teased Marlene. "You'd be ever so blessed to hear me sing for you."

"If you're offering," Sirius shrugged, "I wouldn't mind a private performance."

"Gross," grumbled James. Camilla giggled quietly beside him, and he joined her too.

Lily noticed their small interaction. She knew she shouldn't be intervening in their conversation, but they weren't being all too subtle. "All right, all right, shut up!" Lily insisted loudly over her friends and housemates. "Countdown, everyone! Start wishing!"

" _Ten… Nine… Eight…"_ the crowd shouted wildly, fists pumping and drinks slurping.

Dorcas Meadowes wished for 1977 to be no worse than 1976. She'd rather it be dull than adventurous, but wished to find a small piece of happiness somewhere. Something she hadn't felt in a while.

Remus Lupin prayed that he wouldn't harm anyone in 1977, physically or mentally. It was a landslide, but why not try for some luck. He could use it.

" _Seven_ … _Six… Five…"_

Marlene McKinnon couldn't help but wish 1977 to bring her a musical career and a fine musician. She wished for continued happiness for her family.

Sirius Black hoped that his uncle wouldn't die, so that he wouldn't be the only Black with some damned sanity.

" _Four… Three… Two…"_

Lily Evans hoped that 1977 would be a peaceful one for her friends and family. She tried not to think of War.

James Potter wished that in 1977, he'd stop obsessing over Lily Evans and be happy with a girl who deserved his love.

" _One! Happy New Year!"_ Everyone shouted as colorful fireworks shot through the air.

Max McKinnon tipped over Dorcas Meadowes and kissed her sweetly. She almost pushed him away because it had been a while since anyone had treated her so tenderly. Marlene McKinnon nearly shouted at the sight of her brother and classmate kissing, but her mouth was instantly preoccupied due to Sirius Black's lips against hers. Lily nearly laughed but instead, she instead found herself focusing on the sight of James Potter pressing his lips against Camilla Henley's. A rush of loneliness sunk into her chest, like a sinking ship. She should be thinking about Connor truthfully, but found herself just lonely instead. Even Remus found a similar-aged girl to kiss on this New Year's.

"Get off of me!" hissed Marlene as she shoved the mongrel off of him. "Now, I have to use a disinfecting charm."

"You should feel honored," Sirius countered coolly, giving her a wink. "There are lines of women who would die to kiss me-"

"Happy New Year, Lily," Marlene said ignoring Sirius, and then hugging Lily tightly. "And oy, Max, what the bloody hell are you doing?!"

Max McKinnon lifted Dorcas Meadowes and gave her sister a dashing smile. "You have some nice friends, Marley."

Dorcas blushed a fierce red. "Sorry, McKinnon."

Marlene waved it off before he was lifted up by James. He swung her around and kissed her on the cheek. "Let the youth live," insisted James. He moved on from his cousin and hugged his fellow brothers. After he hugged Remus, he was brave enough (with the help of multiple shots of fire whiskey within the course of twenty minutes) to give Lily a harmless peck on the cheek. Why not? He was drunk enough to play it off as meaningless and a kind gesture, considering that they actually had a decent conversation for the first time in six years of knowing one another. Also, it looked less suspicious with Camilla Henley giving him an adequate amount of attention. He leaned down and aimed to press his lips quickly with Lily's flushed skin as she looked up at the firework show in awe. But, she just had to turn her head. Her beautifully stupid head.

Their lips met like in an old American screwball comedy. Both of their eyes wide open and staring at one another in awe. They pulled back quickly and just stared for a moment. Lily touched her lip with her fingertips, and her rosy cheeks became even rosier than before.

James coughed into a fist. He scratched his head and couldn't help but smile like the fumbling idiot he was. "Happy New Years, Evans," he smirked.

Lily glared at him. "Go run into a dragon's den, Potter."

James shrugged. He may have been offended if he weren't tipsy, but he surely didn't care now. He even leaned in for another, but instead of a nice kiss, Lily greeted him with a sure smack in the face.

"I deserved that," James acknowledged coolly, but still glowing brightly.

"Yes, you did," Lily whispered sternly as he turned back heading towards Camilla Henley, who was hugging Hestia Jones. Lily decided that she was not lonely for Connor; she refused to give James Potter that power.

Especially starting the new year.

* * *

 **January 3** **rd** **, 1977**

"You didn't?!" Mary MacDonald and Emmeline Vance squealed together, clutching each other as if they were watching a muggle horror movie.

Mary MacDonald, Emmeline Vance, and Lily Evans sat in the 7th floor girls' bathroom. Lily sat curled up in the steaming bubble bath and twirled a piece of her hair. "I did…" explained Lily. "I slapped Potter right across the face."

"He's probably been counting the days that he would get to kiss you," laughed Emmeline as she dipped her long black hair underneath the water.

"I doubt he even really knew what he was doing," Lily argued confidently. "He got pretty drunk, pretty fast."

"I wish I could see the look on Potter's face," Mary laughed brightly. "He must've been completely gobsmacked."

"He moved onto Henley," Lily informed as she slid out of the tub.

"Camilla Henley?" Mary repeated. "Gryffindor Camilla?"

Lily nodded, wrapping a towel around her body. "She didn't look too happy that Potter even acknowledged me."

"That's because Henley has wanted to marry James ever since our second year," Marlene McKinnon explained as she sauntered inside the bathroom. "She's bonkers for him. Rather disturbing to watch."

"Henley is nice though," Mary noted timidly.

"Just know that James would rather be with Lily than Henley," the blond said shortly.

Lily scoffed, "He should go after Henley though. I'm not interested in Potter. Never have, never will be."

Marlene pouted. "My plan was foiled by your own stubbornness?"

"Your plan was never tangible in the first place," the redhead said curtly. "I have Connor." She expected there to be more vigor and confidence in her voice when she said that.

Marlene rolled her eyes, but before she could say anything, Emmeline added her two cents: "Yeah, but it's not like Greyson is the most stimulating person on the planet," she claimed. "Physically or mentally."

"Em!" Mary squeaked, smacking Emmeline on the arm. She then fixed her glasses back on Lily, who was still dripping from her bath. "Connor is perfectly lovely, Lily. He's smart, kind, and pretty handsome if you ask me. Every girl wish they could date the Head Boy."

Lily gave two sure nods. Mary was right; she should be lucky to be dating a guy like Connor. Sometimes, she just felt like Connor… wasn't enough. But that could be because Lily Evans knew that she had ridiculously high standards.

"Oh, you just like Greyson because he hangs out with Caradoc Dearborn," Emmeline dismissed sourly.

Mary turned a bright red and hid into her curls. "I do not!"

"Every time Dearborn walks past you, you become wetter than mermaid," Emmeline continued.

Mary got redder than Gryffindor scarlet. "Sod off, Emmeline. I do not! That's not even physically possible!"

As Emmeline and Mary continued to bicker, Lily unraveled her towel and slid into her underwear and bra. She leaned over to take a sip from Marlene's flask. She saw underneath the flask that Marlene had gone to the Owlery and received holiday greetings from cousins and extended family, her edition of the _Witch Weekly_ , but surprisingly no Daily Prophet. Similar to Lily's mail for the day.

"Did you get your edition of the _Prophet?"_ Lily asked Marlene curiously. The blond was dipping her toes into the lukewarm water and popping the bubbles with her toes.

"No, not today," Marlene said indifferently. "You didn't either?"

Lily hummed in agreement as she slid her sweater on. "That seems weird, no?"

Marlene nodded, "odd." She looked over to Emmeline and Mary, still bickering over the physicality of Caradoc Dearborn, and shouted, "Oy, did either of you get your edition of the _Prophet_ today?"

Mary and Emmeline exchanged glances before answering. "I didn't check the Owlery today," revealed Mary.

"I didn't get one," Emmeline said cautiously.

Marlene and Lily exchanged glances this time. "Do you think anyone got _The Prophet?_ " The ginger asked curiously as she finally got dressed.

"It doesn't seem like it," Marlene said, rubbing her chin. Her eyes flickered brightly after a moment, and she swung her feet out of the bath. "Seems like we'll have to find some more statistics on that."

"It might be good for you to not be staring at the newspaper all day," Mary suggested meekly. "You spend a lot of time… scrutinizing it, Lily."

Lily dried her hair with her towel before shoving it back into her loo-bag. She shrugged calmly, "We have to be aware of what's going on outside these walls, Mary. They won't protect us forever."

"Maybe the news was too unbearable today," Mary added.

"Who would decide that?" Emmeline asked.

"Dumbledore most likely," Marlene answered as she slipped on her penny loafers. "And Dumbledore is pretty liberal when it comes to students knowing the current events and the War."

"It must be bad then," Lily muttered. With a determined face, she stood up and said sternly, "I want to know what's in that paper."

"Ah, my favorite Lily: Nosy Lily," Marlene beamed as she clapped her hands together excitedly. "I know just who to recruit on this little adventure."

* * *

Peter Pettigrew tapped his stubby fingers against the Gryffindor Common Room desk. He stared at a few of the paintings, observed a few students, and even counted sheep. It was roughly seven-thirty, and he was absolutely bored. This was usually his time to do the Crossword puzzle in the Daily Prophet. Now, Peter was not one of the most capable students in Gryffindor, but he enjoyed the Crossword Section. He was pretty clever with a puzzle, faster than Remus and James. And sometimes even faster than Sirius. But now, he didn't have his chance to shine… and he was alone.

Remus had an appointment with Poppy about his pre-full moon aggression. Sirius was serving detention with the giant Ground's Keeper's Assistant, Hagrid, in the Forbidden Forest, but should be back soon. And James was sitting in front of the warm fire, chatting it up with Camilla Henley, with his hand dangerously close to her behind. Peter didn't know that they had become so close, but Sirius and Remus barely commented it when they all arrived back to school yesterday.

Peter let out a long sigh. He wished for something exciting.

And sometimes Peter Pettigrew would get his wish granted.

The portrait door slammed open for Marlene McKinnon and Lily Evans. Peter always thought that the two girls were rather pretty and watched as they stalked past him. Marlene said nothing, but Lily gave him a quick wave. She was always the friendlier of the two.

"Oy," Marlene said to James as she jumped over the couch and landed right in front of him with her hands on his fists. "I have an assignment for you."

James peered up at his cousin irritably. His face softened when he got a view of Lily, whom he hadn't seen properly since he had (accidentally) kissed her, but focused his attention back on Marlene. "I'm busy," he stated.

"With what?" Marlene questioned, "We just got back from vacation."

"I'm helping Henley with her…" James found himself immediately distracted by Lily's presence in conjunction with Henley's. He scratched his hair before coming up with a pathetic excuse.

Before he had a chance to share his poor attempt at an excuse, Camilla closed her Transfiguration textbook loudly. As she stood up, she gave Lily a quick barely-noticeable glare and looked back at Marlene. "Potter was actually helping me with some Transfiguration work before classes start back up. He told me I should be extra-prepared since my 5th year is so important," she said in a matter-of-fact voice.

"Yes, it is very important," Lily agreed, remembering the all-nighters she'd spent in the library studying for Transfiguration. She had spent them with Marlene, Mary, and Emmeline… and sometimes Severus. Lily shook her head of the thought of Severus; that was not how she was going to start the New Year. "McGonagall does do give out her fair share of pop quizzes," Lily added hurriedly before turning to Marlene, "We should leave them, Marls. They're doing work." The ginger did not want to break up their gathering nor attract anymore unnecessary glares from Camilla.

"But we _need_ him, Lily," Marlene insisted in a hushed voice.

This caught James' attention. Marlene may have needed James all the time because she was a lazy, self-indulgent, and manipulative princess, but Lily Evans would never ever _need_ James Potter. The chance was too immediate to pass off. So much for following through on New Year's Resolutions.

"You mind if we finish up tomorrow then, Henley?" asked James, standing up. He towered over all three of the girls and gave Camilla a bright smile that the 5th year had to admit did melt her heart just a little bit. "I promise I'll be of more help once my cousin stops acting like newborn troll."

Marlene snorted. "Have you ever seen a troll look like this? Shit."

Camilla smiled at James and nodded before she walked off. "You owe me, Potter," she flirted as she turned back around for one more look. She then trotted up the stairs towards the Girl's Dormitory.

"She can be such a slag," sighed Marlene, rolling her big blue eyes.

"Oy," hissed Lily, smacking the blond in the arm, "you can't be a feminist and then degrade other women's sexual integrity."

Marlene waved Lily's remark off and then looked to her cousin. "Henley uses men like she uses water, James. She's constantly thirsty," she explained casually.

"The pot calling the kettle black?" James challenged as he fixed his glasses to sit onto the couch. He picked up his golden snitch and began throwing it up and down in the air. "Now, what do you two lovely ladies need from _moi_? _"_

Lily already hated this plan.

Marlene sat closely next to James and leaned in. In a quiet voice, she said, "I need your map."

James' face hardened. He glanced up at Lily and then back at Marlene. "You told her?" He hissed irritably. "Are you out of your bloody mind-"

"I already knew about the map," Lily interrupted coolly.

James' face softened as he looked back up at her. She was biting her lower lip, and he had to admit that all he could think about was trying to kiss her again. The galleons he'd pay for just one more try.

Of course, she'd hex him into next Tuesday in return for attempting to do so.

James looked back at his cousin and glared, "Why does she know about the map? What did you tell her?"

" _I_ know about the map because it's obvious," Lily interjected once again, not appreciating being ignored. "If you think it isn't strange that four boys huddle around a piece of blank parchment like it's the latest Playboy, then you have another thing coming."

James gave her a quizzical look. "What's a playboy bunny?"

"Of all the muggle things to know about," she laughed, "you don't know what a playboy bunny is?"

"It sounds like a peculiar combination of children's toys and the theater."

"It's a magazine with loads of naked women," a small voice interjected. James, Marlene, and Lily looked back and saw that Peter was approaching them. His eyes darted awkwardly before shrugging, "My dad likes to look at them."

Lily and Marlene couldn't help but laugh a little.

"I also heard you talking about the map," Peter said as he pulled out a large piece of folded parchment from the back of his pant's pocket. He waved it.

"Peter, put it away," James demanded.

Peter was about to do exactly as instructed, but Marlene McKinnon was a quick and clever girl. She stood up and snatched it away within seconds. She was taller than Pettigrew too, so when he tried to snatch it back, he had to jump to do so. After one jump, Peter decided enough embarrassment for one day and immediately plopped onto the couch.

James Potter was taller however and stood up to his cousin. "Marlene, give it back," he said in a tired voice.

"Let me use it," Marlene bargained.

"That map is for important expeditions or emergencies."

"Oh yes, James, finding routes to the largest broom cupboard is crucial to the functioning of this castle and whatever shenanigans you do in your spare time," she taunted.

"You haven't heard Sirius having sex, have you?" Peter argued softly.

Lily coughed into a closed fist; Marlene gagged.

"Why do you need the map?" James asked curiously.

The two girls exchanged glances. "Well," the scotswoman said hesitantly as she ruffled her hair, trying to figure out a decent response. "It's a wee-bit complicated, and I don't want to waste any of your or my precious time with lengthy explanations-"

"We want to get into Dumbledore's office," Lily said casually.

James raised an eyebrow as Peter choked on air. "That's quite an expedition," the taller one mumbled. "What's in Dumbledore's office that's so important?"

Lily frowned. "You don't go off randomly revealing all of your pranks and journeys, do you, Potter?"

"That's why I don't ask for people's help beside Peter and the other two," James countered sharply. He crossed his arms like the spoiled child he was and said in a clear voice, "you won't be able to open the map without me or Peter."

Marlene winked at Peter and said in a flirtatious voice, "Pettigrew, you want to help us don't you? I'll make it worth your while."

Peter thought about it for a moment, looking up at the ceiling as if it were going to tell him the answer. "No thanks, McKinnon," he said diplomatically.

Marlene deadpanned. "Pardon?"

"You aren't all that, McKinnon," the small sixteen year old murmured weakly, "not that you aren't pretty, but I know that you won't really give me anything I want. You're more manipulative than Black."

Marlene barely looked hurt. She scoffed, "Ouch, ouch, my heart."

James and Lily couldn't help but chuckle a little at Marlene's invincible sense of narcissism. They both paused, noticing their harmonious three-second moment, and Lily looked away.

James rolled his eyes. They could never have an easy moment. "So, are you going to share or not? Times-a-wasting, Evans."

The redhead sucked her teeth. She was very much against Marlene's plan to involve her cousin in the first place: partially because Marlene insisted on coupling the two together any chance she got and because she for some reason believes that James is one of the most capable spies in the school. In Lily's humble opinion, James Potter was loud-mouthed and arrogant. Two things she did not need to find Dumbledore's edition of the Prophet.

Lily looked down at Marlene, who gave her a small and easy-going shrug. "I think you should tell him," the blond suggested.

Lily let out an annoyed grumble. She looked at James and said in a quick voice, "No one got today's Prophet, and I want to know why."

"You want to sneak into the Headmaster's personal office for a newspaper?" James asked if it were a joke. "Oh, come on, Evans. Just when show the potential for good Marauder material, you screw it up with a shitty media outlet."

"Shitty media outlet?" She repeated. "Fuck, Potter, what do you read for current events then?"

"The Quibbler," Marlene informed. She circled her finger around her temple and mouthed dramatically, _Mental._

"The Quibbler?" Lily asked in an amused tone, raising her eyebrow at James.

"The Quibbler doesn't spew out everything and anything the Ministry tells them to," James argued.

"Hypocrite," she laughed, "Your dad works for the Ministry!"

"And he's the one who told me not to read the _Prophet_ , you narrow-minded-"

"Okay! Okay!" Marlene shouted as she stood up. She patted both James and Lily on the shoulder and said, "Maybe it'd be best if we took this upstairs. Somewhere a little more private. Somewhere we won't be putting on spectacle for the first years." She motioned to the three first year students who were trying to do their work, but kept staring at James and Lily fighting.

James kept glaring at Lily for a long moment, which she sustained, before turning his back on them. He motioned for them to follow him up the stairs toward the dorms. Lily, Marlene, and Peter followed James into the boy's dorm. It was laid out just like the girls' with a door leading to each year's specific room. Theirs was the second on the left, just like the girls'.

Lily had never walked into the boy's dorm before. She could immediately tell whose bed was whose. Remus' bed was the one closest to the door: it was tidy and made perfectly. There was little clutter on the cabinet, just a picture of Remus, his mother, and father standing outside of a small cottage when the prefect was just a boy. Sirius' bed had charmed christmas lights strung up on it and all around. He had photographs of nearly-naked women on different types of automobiles pasted around his bed. Peter's bed had a quaffle and food wrappers strewn around it. His large-waisted pants were folded at the edge of the bed.

And lastly, there was James. To Lily's surprise, it was made neatly with a bunch of books on it. She tried not to stare at all the titles but some of the topics were about quidditch, flying, ancient roman history, and... _Emma_ by Jane Austen. Oh, she'd never erase that image from her mind now.

James moved the books off his desk and onto his cabinet and motioned for the girls to sit. Marlene laid comfortably down with her feet up, while Lily shook her head. The quidditch captain sat at the foot of his bed and leaned back as he took his snitch into his hand. "Private enough for you?" He asked curtly.

Lily tried her hardest not to start up a bickering session again. She took a deep breath and ignored him. "No _Daily Prophet_ means that Dumbledore is hiding something," Lily explained.

"What's he got to hide?" Peter asked.

"It probably has to do with the war," James added, throwing his snitch up in the air. It whizzed around for a few moments before James snatched it.

"But Dumbledore always updates us on the War," Peter clarified. "He says we must remain constantly vigilant."

"He got that from Moody," James said absent-mindedly.

"Whose Moody?" Lily asked.

"Auror," James said impatiently, waving it off. "Not important really. But why would Dumbledore hide something from us?"

"Because it must have to do with a professor?" Marlene suggested.

"Or a student," added James. He paused for a moment and let out a long breath. "Or the entirety of Hogwarts."

Lily, Marlene, and Peter looked at each other tensely, but James smiled brightly. It was a smile that they'd all seen before. Peter knew that as the mischief-to-be-managed smile; Marlene knew that as a forecasting smile before he made public humiliation of her; and Lily knew that as the smile before James would ask her out. In sum, it meant that he had a plan.

"Well, it seems like we will need that map."

* * *

 _ **AN:** I know! A lot happened folks! I had to make up for the absence; I haven't had a chance to write in a few days. I hope you enjoyed it. Please favorite, follow, and review if it suits ya fancy. _

_XO_

 _Rose_


	8. Chapter 8

_A/N - Before reading this chapter, I want to clarify/change something. I was wrong in my attempt to create a Head Boy and Head Girl for each house. It's not canon, so I am doing a slight switch in my own writings. So to clear up confusion that this chapter could possibly create, please know that there is only one Head Boy and that is good ol' Connor Greyson. Parkinson is not the Head Boy of Slytherin; I am making him just a prefect. Sorry for the hassle!_

* * *

 **January 4** **th** **, 1977**

"You shouldn't have shown either one of them the map," hissed Sirius Black as they shaved their wiggentree bark. Professor Sprout had instructed her NEWT students to prepare their materials for their upcoming potions class. It was a collaboration between Professor Sprout and Professor Slughorn, claiming that the NEWT students need to learn how to work in the real world.

"Well, I did, so there's nothing we can do about it," James countered dully.

"Steal a time-turner," Remus quipped as he smashed a particularly large piece of wiggentree.

Sirius thought about that idea for a long moment, but then shook his head quickly. "Ever since the Prewetts used their time-turner for extra munchies two years ago, Dumbledore has them all locked up," he revealed. As his friends stared at him pointedly, he shrugged, "What? I have tried before."

Remus smashed another large piece of wiggentree, causing his two friends to stare at him wide-eyed. He tended to get aggressive, especially the day before the full moon. He had been expecting the last full moon for a few weeks now, and it showed. "How do you expect to pull this off then? Just sneak into Dumbledore's office, all willy-nilly."

"Willy-nilly?" Sirius repeated.

"Muggle expression," Remus replied shortly.

"That sounds like the title to a bad porno."

"Everything is really sex with you, isn't it?"

"Moony, my friend," Sirius said in a charismatic voice, "we are creatures of sex. Might as well honor the act."

"You're a neanderthal."

"Neanderthal?" Sirius asked James.

James finished his breaking apart his last piece of wiggentree and glared at both of his friends. "Shut up you two, so I can explain the purpose of this plan."

"Everyone is so testy today," Sirius mumbled as he flicked an extra piece of wiggentree into his own bin of materials.

James ignored his best friend. "Looks, Evans and Marlene has a point about the Prophet _._ It must be something big because there is still no Prophet today. Two days in a row is a big deal, and people are beginning to talk."

"You don't think something just happened to our subscriptions?" Remus asked logically.

"Hundreds of owls just not delivering full mail is bloody weird," James said in determined voice.

"Has your dad said anything?" Sirius asked.

James shook his head and leaned in slightly to get closer to his friends. "You both know my dad wouldn't just leave me out on information like this," he said in a hushed voice. "That's why I'm really concerned."

"And because Lily asked you for the favor," Remus pointed out knowingly.

Sirius smirked. "And James can't help but play hero in front of her."

James deadpanned, "No hero. Just a gorgeous, tall, and capable savior, that's all."

"Don't forget to mention humble," Sirius muttered under his breath.

Before he could finish, James pushed Sirius with one hand right off his stool and onto the ground. A few students gasped, and some laughed.

"Bastard!" Sirius shouted aiming his foot for his friend's calf.

"Mr. Black!" hollered Professor Sprout. "Get off the ground! Potter, help him up. This is no time for funny-business or shenanigans. Not in NEWT classes."

"Of course, Professor," James mock-smiled as he leaned down to help a scowling Sirius.

"Back to work, Gentlemen," Professor Sprout approved.

"You're such a twit," Sirius grumbled as he ruffled his hair.

"Yeah, and you're full of it," countered James as he slid his gloves on. "Either way, I intend to recruit Peter into locating the latest Prophet. He can… _change_ into you-know-what and grab it."

Remus paused and looked up at James as if there were the Bloody Baron right behind him. He blinked a few times before James asked, "What?"

Remus took a deep breath. "And what if he gets caught?" He asked cautiously. "What if Dumbledore finds him as a… you-know-what?"

James waved the statement off before squeezing his Boom Berries over a small bowl. "He won't," he said simply. It was the same tone James often used before a Marauders expedition, like everything would somehow be right.

"That's quite a whim you're going out on," Remus argued. "Dumbledore not noticing a rat running away with his banned newspaper? Unlikely."

"I'll have the map, Remus. We'll go when no one is there. Evans is even going to get the password from Dumbledore's office from Greyson. It'll be quick and simple: in and out."

Remus ground his teeth together and tried not to wring James' neck just for suggesting a stupid idea like that. "You're going to get caught," he said tensely.

"It's not such a bad idea," Sirius said, trying for diplomacy. "We'll both make sure that you don't fuck it up, James."

"Speak for yourself," Remus grumbled as he stood up abruptly. He wiped his hands of the wiggentree and carried his materials to the front of them room to show to Professor Sprout. As his two friends exchanged confused glances, Remus received permission to excuse himself since he was already done with his work. Without looking at either James or Sirius, Remus left the classroom.

"Bloody hell, what's gotten into him?" asked Sirius.

"Probably the full moon," James noted softly as he watched Remus stalk out of the Green House. He nearly punched a column on his way out.

James was wrong though. It wasn't the full moon that got Remus so wound up. Yes, it did increase his agitation immensely, but it was really James' careless planning that got the prefect upset. While he was out trying to sort-of, kind-of court Lily, James would never take the time to realize that Dumbledore would most definitely rip the Marauders away from Remus during their full moon excursions as Stag, Dog, Rat, and Werewolf. And that would drive Remus into his most rabid state yet.

* * *

Lily Evans felt like she was going to go loose her mind. She should've never agreed to Marlene's stupid idea of getting the password from Connor. She was nowhere near stealthy or subtle enough for this.

She sat on the couch in the Head's Common Room with her legs tucked into her chest. She twirled a piece of her hair as she watched the flames from the fireplace kiss. The walls were decorated with red, gold, blue, and bronze banners to represent the Head Boy's and Head Girl's respective houses. She had spent a good deal in here since she had begun dating Connor. It was rather cozy with an entire wall of bookshelves, twin desks within individual nooks, and separate bedrooms and bathrooms. Not that she had ever been in the former. She had made it a point not to go in there yet with Connor, which was rather simple since Head Girl Bijal Gupta was barely ever in. Lily had the excuse to steer clear of being alone with Connor… on a bed. She wasn't ready to go past the touching and kissing phase, and thankfully Connor understand that.

 _I'm just lucky to be with you_ , Connor had said to her in the east sixth floor broom cupboard with his hand in her knickers.

As Mary had mentioned millions of time, Connor was perfect. Absolutely, positively, 100% perfect. He was head of the Charms Club in addition to acting as Head Boy. Not to mention the bloke was terribly good-looking with that bright smile. He was well-read and enjoyed talking nice long walks with her.

Lily just felt… stationary with him.

And it sucked that she was now sitting on his bloody couch waiting to ask him for the password to Dumbledore's office. The passwords were obviously important, but she couldn't help but rather feel sneaky going about it.

"Here you go," said Connor as he placed a cup of tea on the desk in front of her. See? _Perfect._

Connor plopped on the couch beside Lily and wrapped an arm around her. He kissed her cheek gently and asked, "Shouldn't you be off to Transfiguration?" He had previously memorized her schedule.

"Right…" Lily murmured as she picked up her knapsack. She took a deep breath but hesitated right before the words came out. Words were so hard sometimes.

"Oy," he laughed breathily, "you good in there, Lils?"

"Yeah, yeah," Lily nodded nervously. "I'm peachy." She could've kicked herself because of how idiotic she sounded. Subtlety was not working, so Lily decided to move forward with honesty and omission. "Connor, have you gotten your edition of the Prophet? I'm looking for an article."

Connor visibly froze. His shoulders and face tensed at the name of the media outlet. He reached down for his cup of tea shakily and began to drink. It was clear as the Black Lake that the Head Boy knew something.

"Connor?" Lily asked again.

"No, I haven't got it," he said in a hurried voice, setting down his tea on the Gryffindor coaster. "Strange, no?"

Lily noticed the tenseness in his posture and narrowed her eyes at him. "Connor, why aren't we getting the Prophet?" She asked. So much for subtlety and stealth.

Her boyfriend let out a quick breath and said, "I… er… I'm not sure. Maybe something is wrong with the Owlery?"

Lily rolled her eyes and insisted, "Everyone has all their mail except Prophet subscribers. The question is why."

"Why would I know?" Connor asked dramatically. "I mean sheesh, Lily. I'm Head Boy, not the Headmaster, I don't know everything in this castle."

"No, but there are specific things that Dumbledore would tell you," she disputed in a short tone. "Like why students aren't getting their newspaper."

"Why would he have to tell me?"

"Because chances are much more likely than not that Dumbledore would tell you something so simple as to why no one was getting their Prophet!"

"And why is that?"

Lily felt like ripping her hair out. He was being so evasive, and speaking of lack subtlety, he was not doing a good job at hiding whatever he is hiding. "Because if it wasn't important, then why would he keep a secret from you! You and Gupta in charge of the students."

"Fine!" Connor shouted at her, first time he's ever raised his voice at her, "If I'm in charge of the students inside this castle, then Lily, I'm demanding you not go any further with this bullshit!"

Lily blinked a few times at him, but kept her face calm. That was new.

Connor must have realized his octave level and immediately relaxed. He let out a soft breath and placed his hand over Lily's gently. "I didn't mean to raise my voice at you," he said earnestly.

Lily shook her head, because she knew she deserved it. She didn't mind being challenged or argued with which was a nice surprise from people-pleaser Connor. "I just want to know why this is happening," Lily explained in a gentler voice, "Dumbledore is keeping something from us, and I want to know why."

Connor gulped but said nothing.

"You won't tell me?" Lily tried again.

He shook his head. "Please don't make me pick between you and my job," he said flatly. "Dumbledore picked me to be the Head Boy, which means he trusts me. This position is the position that could get me that defense job in the States."

Lily felt her chest tighten. She hadn't considered that, or how her interrogation would possibly put Connor in harm's way of his aspirations. She nodded and murmured, "Okay. I'm sorry for bringing this up."

"Don't be sorry, Love," he said tenderly as he kissed her temple gingerly. "I'm sorry I can't tell you more."

"When you can, will you?" She tried as she collected her books into her knapsack for Transfiguration.

"If I can," Connor corrected her.

Lily shrugged and gave a light chuckle. Once she was packed, Lily leaned down to kiss Connor delicately on the lips. She pulled back and stared in his warm brown eyes and smiled. "Do I have to be worried? About my friends and I?"

"No, Lils," Connor asked reassuringly, like a father would to his child almost. He pushed back a piece of her hair behind her ear. "Dumbledore would never let anything happen to you or any student for that matter."

Lily knew that was true, but she also knew that war was savage and cruel. She stood up straight and said, "Both you and Dumbledore can't control war. It's inevitable. All you can do is be prepared."

The redhead turned on her heel and stalked out of the Head's Common Room.

* * *

Peter bit his nails as James and Sirius walked into the dorm. He was almost down to the cuticle at this point. All he could think about was how he was probably going to screw this whole operation up. What if Dumbledore saw him as a rat and killed him just for looking like a disgusting critter? Or what if Dumbledore knew that Peter was in fact an animagi? What if he'd always known and just needed an excuse to expel the lot? No, not James because he's the perfect, rich, clever Quidditch Captain. And not Sirius either - way too charming and too much of a sob story to send back to the Blacks.

Peter was the expendable one. Dumbledore could theoretically throw Peter out with just a flick of his wand if that's what he wanted. He should've backed out with Remus.

"Oy, Peter," snapped Sirius. "You with us? We need you to be focused."

Peter peeked up at Sirius and removed his nails from his mouth. "Sorry," he mumbled. "Can't help it sometimes."

"You'll be fine," James said with an encouraging smile. "Now transform. We're supposed to meet Marlene and Evans right now."

"It'd be best if they didn't see you turn into Wormy," shrugged Sirius. "You'll be safe in my pocket." He patted dangerously close to his groin, but indicated to the slit of his pocket.

Peter grimaced but said nothing. He looked up at his friends with watery and worried eyes. "If I get caught," He said hesitantly, "I'll-"

"You're not getting caught, Peter," Sirius groaned. "Merlin, you and Moony today! Maybe you two are smoking too much pot, ay? The paranoia is getting to you."

Peter glared but before he could come up with an irritated response, James entered as diplomat. A rare role. "Look, it's like the Whomping Willow, but even easier," James said brightly. "You don't have to deal with a homicidal tree."

"No, just an abnormally calm hundred year old wizard," Peter grumbled. "You know he defeated Grindelwald once! That's what you want me to go up against!"

"That's just rumor," James waved off impatiently. "Now, come on, Pete. We don't have time for this."

Peter let out a long sigh and closed his eyes, like he was meditating. He took a deep breath before his stout body began to shrink at a rapid rate. In just a matter of moments, Peter Pettigrew turned grey, furry, and considerably smaller.

"Good to see you, Wormy," Sirius smirked as he bent down to open up his pocket to make space for the chubby rat.

The tiny rat skittered off the bed and into Sirius' pant's pocket. Once he snuggled into the pocket and was secured, he poked his little nose out and sniffed. A sign that Peter was ready.

* * *

Camilla Henley sat prettily in her usual nook within the Gryffindor Common room, rubbing her quill against her chin. The brunette should have been concentrating on Wilhelm's Potion Methodology towards precise brewing, but she could only stare at the back of Lily Evan's perfect head. She ground her teeth and tried not to think about everything that Lily Evans was perfect at.

Camilla tried not to think about the prefect's perfect grades, endless friends, and strong connections with the professors. Also, she was _very_ pretty with her long red hair, bright green eyes, and flawless skin. Of course, James Potter would be obsessed with her.

But Camilla thought herself equally as pretty. Maybe not as unique as Lily, but still pretty. Maybe she should try a new glamour charm for tomorrow.

"You're going to burn a hole right through her head if you keep staring at her like that," said a teasing voice.

Camilla peeked up and saw her fellow Gryffindor 5th year standing beside her. Dirk Cresswell was an average looking chap, but still had an adorable boyishness about him. He had shaggy brown hair, pale skin with spotted freckles, and dark blue eyes. He still had a fifteen year old lankiness to him, but was working out with James Potter more and more this year for Quidditch. Dirk wanted to do his best for Captain Potter as Gryffindor's Keeper.

"No one asked you," Camilla stated hotly as she looked back at her homework.

"She's not all that bad, you know?" Dirk said as he sat beside Camilla. "She's actually kind of…"

"Fake? Goody-two-shoes? A prat?" Camilla offered, keeping her face composed.

"I was going to say cool," Dirk countered.

She narrowed her big eyes at her friend of four years. Dirk normally took her side; she could always count on that. Even when Hestia would disagree, Dirk would always be the comforting one on Camilla's side.

"What? You got a thing for her too now?"

Dirk choked on air, or so he thought. He banged on his chest fiercely and let out a loud hack. "No!" he declared after a moment, "no, no, no. I'm not interested in Lily Evans. I'm just saying she's not as bad as you think she is."

Camilla stayed silent and focused back on her work. She had to admit that ever since her second year, Camilla did not always appreciate the sight of Lily Evans. Everyone saw her as some goddess - professors, student, and even some of the ghosts. She had everything, including James Potter, yet she continuously disregarded all of it.

Speaking of the Devil.

James Potter and Sirius Black came trotting down the stairs from the dorms, and Camilla immediately straightened up. She pushed out her chest a little more too and flipped her hair over her shoulders. She thought he caught his attention when James gave her that charming smile and a wave, but he kept going.

James walked all the way over towards where Lily and Marlene sat, gossiping to themselves. Camilla thought she saw red and before she could knock her studying items over out of pure rage, Scarlett Brown appeared at the top of the stairs.

"Camilla, come quick! I have to show you something!" Scarlett called out excitedly, beckoning her friend to join her.

Dirk noticed his friend's displeasure by the why she was clenching her teeth together. But Camilla always remained composed; it was her speciality. She took a long breath before standing up and collecting her things.

"Cool, calm, and collected," Dirk commented in a quiet voice before he pulled out his own book on Goblin dialects.

"Aren't I always?" Camilla said briskly as she walked past him and towards the stairs. She was too focused on James Potter and Lily Evans sitting together (by choice) to notice that Dirk watched her go the whole way up the stairs.

On the other side of the Common Room, Lily and Marlene waited for James and Sirius to sit beside them. The two girls were a combination of nervous and excited; they had been thinking about tonight's excursion.

"It must be something good then, right?" Marlene asked logically. "I mean, if Greyson knows and isn't telling you then that means shit has really hit the fan… or is it called fanny? The spinning thing that creates wind."

Lily ignored the linguistic wizard difference and nodded in agreement, "I guess so. He said it didn't affect the students though."

The blond rolled her eyes and said, "That's probably what Dumbledore told him to tell you when you ask."

"What?" Lily asked confusedly.

Marlene sighed, "Dumbledore knows all too well that you and Greyson are dating. So, he probably gave Greyson a specific response to give you, because Dumbledore is also too well aware of how nosy you can be."

Lily hadn't thought about that entirely, but she knew it was true. Connor had seemed exceptionally shaky when she had brought it up. And even though he gave her the partial truth, she had a feeling that Connor also utilized his fair share of omission.

"I don't blame either of them though," Lily explained. "They both have very clear cut jobs, and giving me this information would definitely be bad for them."

"And that's why you're sitting with me here, isn't it?" Marlene sneered.

Lily stuck her tongue out at her friend like a child would.

"Oh, acting like the proper sixth years I see," a curt voice noted. The girls automatically knew who it belonged to.

The two Gryffindor Girls looked up to see James and Sirius standing above them, grinning widely.

"Ready, Ladies?" James added with a wink.

Marlene made a gagging noise while Lily mumbled something crude under her breath.

"Where's Pettigrew?" Lily asked curiously, trying to peer past the taller boys. "I thought you said he'd be joining us."

"Peter has a tendency to play his part in more… unexpected ways," Sirius explained coyishly. He finished in a final sort of tone so that the girls would not ask anymore questions.

Marlene knew that Lily was about to question Sirius' ambiguity. She jabbed her in the arm and directed her friend to wait until they got outside.

Lily was about to ask why, but then she noticed a few curious eyes lurking around. "Fair enough," she noted. She put her hand out and gave the boys an overly polite smile. "After you, Gentlemen."

"Oh, how kind, Evans," James smirked as he took her hand. He lead himself out into the small hallway before Lily ripped her hand away from his.

"Gross," Lily mumbled.

Once they were out of the way from prying eyes, a different side of James appeared. He stood a little taller, straightened his shoulders, and intensified his gaze a little more underneath those slightly fogged specks. Lily imagined that this was the James that appeared before Quidditch games and organized pranks. Confidence dripped through his pores.

"So, Sirius, Marlene, and I are going to use my cloak," James explained seriously. "We'll make our way to Dumbledore's office and wait until he's done with his meeting to infiltrate."

Instead of chuckling at the word infiltrate like she wanted to, Lily gave James an appraising look. "What about me? And why would we 'infiltrate' when Dumbledore still is in there? We can't wait-"

"So many questions, Evans," moaned Sirius, plopping against the wall.

"Do you not ask questions, Black?" Lily asked, almost outraged at the thought. "How have you not been expelled yet? How do you go along with these obscure plans-"

"Because I am a great leader, Evans," James said proudly.

Lily bit her lip before scoffing, "James, how many times did we take a wrong turn on Marlene's land?"

Sirius cocked an eyebrow at James. There was an intense silence as he looked his friend up and down. After taking his time to do so, he let out a quiet "hm…"

"It was only twice, thank you," James said quickly, not wanting to start this conversation with Sirius. He re-focused attention back onto the plan. "Also, there isn't enough space for you, Evans. If all four of us hide under here, someone is bound to trip, and then we'd be seen for sure. You, on the other hand, have prefect status, so it's okay for you to be wandering around different corridors at night."

Lily gave him a skeptical look.

"He has a point," Marlene remarked coolly as she crossed her arms of her chest. "The longer we take wondering if this plan _may_ work out will ensure that we get caught. And I don't need another Howler from my mother about my detention rates."

Lily sighed and conceded, "Fine. Let's do this."

James gave a victorious nod. He looked to his cousin and brother and instructed, "Marlene, stay behind me. Sirius behind Marlene."

Sirius and Marlene exchanged awkward glances as Lily opened the portrait door and James opened up the invisibility cloak. Marlene gave him a tense look.

"Don't do anything obscene," she threatened in a hushed voice.

"Darling, my middle name is obscene," Sirius smiled widely as he stepped aside for her to stand behind James. "Or close enough to it."

Marlene rolled her eyes and stepped behind her tall cousin. She ducked a little when James threw the cloak over all three of them.

"You two have to be quiet, which is going to be painfully hard for you, I know, but try," James insisted.

"Then stop talking, James," Lily hissed as she looked over her shoulder. Even though she could not see her three fellow housemates, she could still identify his commanding voice. She then wordlessly got the tip of her wand to light, guiding the quartet out of Gryffindor Tower.

James was about to retort, but forced his lips together. He decided it would be best for the mission if he didn't bicker with Evans too much this evening. No matter how seamless it was for the two of them.

The halls were quiet except for the faint snoring from several of the portraits. Lily walked cautiously and slowly so that she would not leave her three invisible friends in the dust. It felt weird knowing that they were with her, but couldn't see them. She nearly screamed when she heard Marlene's voice suddenly.

"Ouch, my foot!" Marlene's voice squeaked in the darkness.

"Pardon, Love," Sirius said smoothly. "Hopefully I won't bump into anything else inappropriate."

Marlene made a disgusted noise.

"Will you two stop flirting for five seconds," James pleaded.

"Rich, Potter," Sirius laughed loudly, "considering we are only doing this because you can't seem to stop flirting and obsessing-"

"Quiet," Lily said in a stern voice. It seemed like she was looking for something in the distance.

"Someone's coming," James murmured. "Fuck, it's Jones."

The invisible trio immediately shut up when the light footsteps of petite prefect Hestia Jones became audible. Lily walked slowly before Hestia appeared around the corner of the stairs.

"Oh hi, Evans," Hestia smiled brightly. "What're you doing out? I thought your patrols were for tomorrow night."

"Uh… well," the upperclassmen hesitated. "I… er…"

James found it slightly amusing to watch Lily Evans attempt to lie. She was turning redder in the face and biting her lip.

"I forgot my transfiguration notebook in the classroom!" Lily shouted as if she discovered the cure to the common cold. ,

"I thought you didn't have Transfiguration on Tuesdays," the brunette said casually.

Sirius did his best not to let out a snort of disgust. He whispered in Marlene's ear, which she would never admit made her insides shake, "Is Jones in love with Evans?"

Marlene took a moment to compose herself and not think too much about the sensation of Sirius' breath on her neck. "Hestia idolizes Lily," Marlene explained.

"Oh, I don't," Lily agreed after a moment. She bit her lip again. "McGonagall and I had a meeting earlier today during a free period."

"Ohhhh," Hestia nodded knowingly. She clapped her hands together. "She probably wants to nominate you for Head Girl! That would be amazing!"

Lily laughed awkwardly. "Let's not get ahead of ourselves now, Jones. She doesn't have to think about that until the end of the year."

"You're one of the best prefects," insisted Hestia. "Especially in your year. I mean, Avery is batshit and abusive; Wu only cares about her grades and filling up quotas; and McDonald is maybe too nice-"

Hestia kept rambling, and it seemed like they would never make it to Dumbledore's office. James made the executive decision to start ahead of Lily, or else they may miss their window. He looked back and waved to Sirius and Marlene to be quiet and walk slowly.

Of course, his plan was foiled by natural circumstances. Sirius' step was a little too loud, and Marlene's shoe squeaked. James Potter couldn't control everything.

"What was that?" Hestia asked urgently as she pulled her wand out.

Lily ground her teeth and did her best not to roll her eyes. Instead she took a quick breath to steady herself. "What're you talking about?" She asked, feigning innocence beautifully.

"I thought I heard something…" Hestia said curiously.

Lily kept up her end of the plan and continued to distract Hestia from further investigation. "The castle is quite old - it could've been anything," she said coolly.

Before she could blame the noise on the wind or Peeves, Lily's heart nearly dropped in her chest when she saw the back of Black's ankle peeking out from under the Invisibility Cloak. It was even more pronounced as the three Gryffindors tried to walk down the last flight of stairs together. "Well, Hestia," Lily managed to get out without her voice shaking, "I won't keep you any longer. I know your prefect duties are important to you."

Hestia beamed a bright smile.

"I'll be on my way and grab my notebook," Lily finished, smiling her hardest.

Hestia nodded, "And then go back to the Tower, alright? Just because you're a prefect too doesn't mean that I can just let you sneaking around the castle."

"Absolutely not," agreed Lily. "I wouldn't want to set a precedent." She felt sick to her stomach with lying. First, Connor. And now, sweet Hestia.

The fifth year agreed. She made her way up the stairs and waved to Lily, who was skittering down. "Bye, Lily!"

"Goodnight, Hestia," Lily called back absently as she rushed down the stairs. Using her lit wand, she examined the ground for any signs of floating body flesh or cloth material. As she reached closer and closer to Dumbledore's office, she could not detect where her friends were.

"Bloody hell," she murmured agitatedly. She looked around the courtyard to ensure that no prefect was there. Not all prefects were as considerate or kind as Hestia. Once she felt sure, Lily shouted, "Oy! Guys!"

Before she knew it, something strong grabbed Lily's arm. She almost shouted in protest, but her mouth was covered by another hand. She was pulled behind a large tapestry within seconds. Her eyes were wide with shock and outrage when she saw James holding her tightly.

James just smirked at her, that stupid smirk he used on every single girl when he was trying to drop their knickers. " _Avery is coming,_ " He whispered softly. He then released Lily and helped her toward the center so that her feet would be hidden by the longer portion of the tapestry.

The faint footsteps became louder as they heard Avery whistle to herself. Marlene made a hushed comment about her pitch, but was immediately shut up by a smack in the arm by Lily. It got the loudest as the Slytherin prefect walked straight past them, but stopped only a few moments after.

"Boring, boring, boring," Mariah Avery chanted dully. She then let out a loud yawn and continued to walk away. Her footsteps got fainter as did Avery's whispering. Once the footsteps disappeared, the four Gryffindors let out a collective sigh.

"Of all of the prefects in this bloody school," groaned Sirius, "it had to be the suck-up and the sadist."

"Hestia is not a suck up," Lily said defensively.

"Of course you'd say that," Sirius countered, "because you're the one she sucks up to."

"Stop bickering," James demanded.

Lily was surprised to actually have nothing to say now. She was impressed with James' level-headedness in the moment and his commitment to executing their plan. So, she listened and, only this time ever would she stay quiet

James unfolded the blank piece of parchment. He looked up at Lily cautiously and said, "You know, it's taking a lot out of me to show you this, Evans. I'd appreciate immensely if you didn't run your mouth off to your boyfriend about this."

Lily glared. So much of listening and shutting up. "I'm the one who came to you and your map for help, right? Why would I rat you out?

James shrugged, "Morality?"

Lily let out a scoff before James tapped his wand to the parchment and said in calm voice, "I solemnly swear that I am up to no good."

Dark inked lines formed along the parchment quickly, and the paper unfolded itself. Lily's jaw dropped, and her eyes widened into saucers. How did four sixteen year olds come up with such advanced magic.

"Wild, isn't it?" Marlene smiled proudly as she patted James' shoulder. "I saw it for the first time at the end of last year."

"The whole entire castle?" Lily asked dreamily as she admired the parchment finishing up the last nook and cranny of the Kitchen.

Sirius put his finger up. "And all the grounds."

Lily laughed. Not in a teasing way or in a disbelieving way, but the way a child would laugh after discovering something… magical. "This is fantastic!" She cried. "How did you-"

"No time for specifics," James simpered. "Now, where are we… ah, here we go. Can always manage to find Sirius easily."

"Sod off," Sirius demanded.

Lily followed James' finger, which landed against the wall outside of the Transfiguration classroom. Outside of the classroom, James', Sirius', Marlene's, and her full name floated gently on the parchment. She also saw that Professor McGonagall was still in her office instead of her quarters. Also, she saw Emmeline's name and Robert's name close to the Great Hall entrance.

"They must be fighting again," Marlene murmured to Lily. "Em says that Vance and her can't see eye to eye recently."

Lily sighed, "They've been together a long time."

"It seems like we came at the perfect time," said James, pointing to Dumbledore's name circling in his office. "It looks like he's about to end his meeting and take his nightly stroll."

"How'd you know when Dumbledore takes his nightly stroll?" Marlene asked curiously.

"You need to do much reconnaissance before becoming a proper Marauder," James described in a proud tone. "You have much to learn, Young One."

Marlene scoffed, "I'm the one that taught you how to use the fucking silencing charm, if you recall?"

"Yes, thank you for that, Marls," James said bluntly.

There was a loud screech that startled the four. Sirius, who was closest to Dumbledore's office gargoyle entrance, peeked his head out and saw the Gargoyle swiveling at a tedious rate.

"Who's coming out with Dumbledore, because if it's a new potential new Divination Professor, we may be in a bad spot," Sirius grumbled cautiously.

James focused back on the map and said, "It's… it's… well, shit, it's Meadowes."

And just as he said it, a tired-looking Dorcas Meadowes came strolling down the stairs. She was in a navy silk nightgown with a dark kimono covering her. Her dark hair was tousled, and her striking blue eyes were contrasted by prominent red veins. It looked like she hadn't slept in weeks.

"Goodnight, Professor, and thank you," Dorcas said in a polite tone. She even bent over a little to bid him farewell.

"Pleasant dreams to you, Miss Meadowes," Dumbledore said in a soothing tone. He wrapped his robes around himself a little tighter before walking in the opposite direction of his student.

The Gargoyle was turning closer, and it seemed to move much faster than when it had opened. And to make matters worse, Dorcas Meadowes did not move like their professor. She leaned against one of the walls weakly and slid down to sit beside the closing entrance.

"What the fuck is she doing, just sitting there?" Marlene hissed irritably.

James thought and thought. His mind worked faster than it did when flying or when solving a Transfiguration equation. But nothing popped up. He hadn't planned for Dorcas Meadowes. He hadn't planned for anyone. James Potter didn't want his first time for self-doubt to now.

"Fucking hell," he grumbled.

* * *

 _A/N - SO OVERDUE AND I APOLOGIZE! I've been job-hunting and studying more, so I have not been able to write that much in the past two weeks. I will try to get another one up asap, but I'm not going to make promises when and let you nice people down! But soon! I swear._

 _Thank you for the comments, the follows, and favorites, it does mean so much to me! I sprinkle the love over my own spliffs._

 _Lots of love,_

 _Rose_


	9. Chapter 9

**Still January 4** **th** **, 1977**

Severus Snape felt like hell. He rarely got scratches or bruises, unless it was inflicted by Tobias. And it was even rarer he got - dare he even speak the words from his own lips - a cold. His head pounded against his brain, and he felt clogged by his own mucus. It was disgusting.

And now Severus was making tea in the Slytherin Common Room's kitchenette. He rubbed the bridge of his nose when the kettle whistled. It was mint tea, like Eileen would make for him when he was younger and things were simpler. Simpler like when he would run around Cokeworth outside to get rid of the pain, or when he could just knock on Lily's front door and feel more at home than ever.

Whenever Severus thought too much about the past, Lily Evans always seemed to pop up in his mind. He grit his teeth and inhaled the steam from the tea.

When he was finished pouring his tea and cleaning the pot out, Severus walked out out of the common room and following the silent voice of his bed.

But since nothing ever went right for Severus Snape, he was interrupted.

"Severus," a confident voice called from the sitting area.

Most of the students were asleep by eleven so they could wake up in time for breakfast, but not this lot. Parkinson had a prideful smile across his face as he sat amongst Mariah Avery, Alex Mulciber, and Evan Rosier. "Come sit," offered Parkinson.

"I'd rather suffer alone than with such pleasant company," he said stiffly.

Parkinson's expression darkened, and gave Severus a knowing look. "We've been summoned."

Severus nearly broke his porcelain teacup by holding it too tightly. He took a deep breath through his mouth and let it slowly before gritting through his teeth a short "Perfect."

* * *

"Well, this plan could've been perfect," murmured Marlene McKinnon, tapping her foot softly. "If she wasn't just sitting there," she added, "what the fuck is Meadowes waiting for?"

Lily Evans elbowed her friend in the rib. "Shut up, Marlene," she whispered lowly, "she'll hear you."

The Gargoyle was reaching its close. Sirius Black looked back to his brother. There was a look in his eye, which James Potter identified as 'I'm going to do a bad thing.'

"No, Sirius," James commanded in a low voice, and yes, it was like a master to his dog.

Sirius snuck a peak back at the Gargoyle and then back to James. With an apathetic face, he muttered, "Sorry."

"Why's Black apologizing?" Lily asked in a concerned tone.

It was almost amazing that neither one of the girls noticed a chubby rat leap out of Sirius' pocket. They were looking to a dumbfounded James instead, so little Wormtail managed to runaway successfully into Dumbledore's office.

"I let a little toot," Sirius lied casually. "Pardon."

"Are you serious- no, don't answer that," Marlene tried in a hushed voice.

James rolled his eyes and scoffed tiredly. He tried not to do look down at Lily Evans who was staring at him. Her green eyes narrowed at him before looking away. _Too skeptical for her own good,_ James thought.

"How do you seriously expect me not to make a serious joke about my name being Sirius?" Sirius Black asked quickly.

Marlene closed her eyes and chose to look away from the imbecile.

"Will you lot shut up?" Lily hissed softly. Her eyes were fixated on the map, and they followed the ink-blotted foots steps of Remus Lupin.

Sirius and Marlene exchanged quick glances before peering over Lily's shoulder.

Luckily, Lily noticed that Remus was coming from the opposite corridor so he wouldn't be able to see the tapestry protrude. But what she was more concentrated on was why. Her fellow prefect was due for rounds with _her_ tomorrow evening.

"We can't concentrate on that right now," Lily mumbled. "What're we going to do now that the entrance is closed? We don't have the password, and we can't leave."

James took a deep breath. He tried not to glare at his friend, but instead looked down at Lily. Her eyes were filled with confusion, yet somehow still focused. The girl was on a mission.

"You're going to have to trust us with this go, Evans," he whispered bending down a little closer to her ear.

Lily raised her eyebrows. She turned her head slowly to him, seemingly un-phased by how close their faces were now. "Unconvincing, Potter," she replied coolly.

"It'll have to do," he said firmly, "because it's all you're getting."

"And I'm supposed to be comfortable with that?"

"You're clever. You'll find a way."

"I'm also stubborn."

"Oh, _Evans,_ don't I know."

Lily had a cunning comeback that involved a ten-points-for-Gryffindor-worthy list of examples of James Potter's egotistical behavior, but was stopped by Marlene. The blond pressed the palm of her hand against Lily's lips. Everyone shifted slightly to the side, and Marlene pointed to the entering Remus Lupin.

They couldn't see much, but they could definitely listen.

"Thanks for meeting me," Remus said.

Dorcas shrugged, "No problem." She reached into her pocket and pulled out her cigarette tin.

"She sure got some dangly bits to be doing right in front of Dumbledore's office," Marlene commended quietly.

"No, McKinnon, she definitely does not," chuckled Sirius.

"I was hoping you could help me out a bit," Remus said, grabbing the everyone's attention.

Dorcas had lit her cigarette and let out a large puff. The smoke twirled into the night sky. "What about it?" She asked. "I thought we were both pretty clear on New Year's."

That caught everyone's attention.

"Did she sleep with him at my house?" Marlene whispered hotly to Lily. "After she kissed Max or something?!"

The redhead shook her head in ignorance. She was more interested by Sirius' clenched fists.

"That's not what I'm talking about," Remus replied flatly.

Dorcas chuckled weakly for a moment. "Sorry." She took another long puff before adding, "Well then, what would you like to discuss?"

"I have a favor to ask of you."

"Interesting," the Slytherin mused, letting the smoke trickle up her moonlight face.

"I need the password to Dumbledore's office," he said as if there were nothing wrong with breaking into the Headmaster's office.

Dorcas scoffed, "Aren't you a prefect?"

"That doesn't mean I have the password."

"If he caught you, you'd be kicked out."

"You and I both know that Dumbledore would not do that to us."

"So you're going to betray his trust?" Dorcas asked in sharp voice.

Remus hesitated for a minute before saying, "I would not do that to him. This is important and isn't technically betraying his trust. He's keeping something from us, Meadowes. The entire student body, at least."

"Like what?"

"Why haven't you been getting the Prophet for the past two days?"

"I don't get the Prophet."

"What?"

"I read the Quibbler," Dorcas explained offhandedly.

Behind the tapestry, James couldn't help but smile, "A girl after my own heart." The other three punched him in response.

Remus coughed and tried not to laugh. "Well, no Prophet subscribers have gotten their editions in the last two days. Dumbledore is hiding something from us."

It was Dorcas' turn to pause, which she did for a long time. She finished her cigarette and put it out. "You think he has one in his office?" There was no edge in her voice this time. She almost sound defeated, which no one really ever heard before from Dorcas Meadowes.

"My friend's rat already has already retrieved it," Remus explained. Lily and Marlene looked to the boys in shock. Neither one peeped a word, but thought of many in their heads. "We just need to let him out of Dumbledore's office," Remus continued.

Dorcas paused for another moment. From what the hidden Gryffindors saw, it looked like she was rubbing her temples. She then stood up and placed herself right in front of Remus. She titled her head up so that she could look right into his eyes.

"Don't think that I'm doing this just because we have some dirt on each other, understand?" She said in a cold voice.

"Wouldn't expect you to," Remus agreed, smirking softly to himself as Dorcas walked in front of the Gargoyle.

It was evident that everyone behind the tapestry would be interrogating Remus Lupin in the Common Room, but right now they just gawked at the two.

Dorcas sighed. " _Marshmallow Cakes,"_ she said in a clear voice.

And just like that, the gargoyle slowly shifted open and to the side. Remus watched in curiosity as it did so, but when the gargoyle cleared the walkway, he focused on the little rat with a gigantic newspaper in its mouth.

"Ah, well done, Wormy," Remus smiled as he bent down with an open palm. The rat skittered into his hand and released the paper into the other. Wormy sniffed in Dorcas' direction a few times before looking away.

Remus was about to open it but noticed that Dorcas was walking away. "You're not curious?" he called out, tapping the Gargoyle to close.

"Not really," she replied without looking back. Remus noticed how shakily she was moving; she was doing a subpar job of hiding it. "If it's not in the Quibbler, chances are it may be bullocks. And no one has time for bullocks."

Remus narrowed his eyes at Dorcas as she headed down towards the Dungeons. Once she was completely out of sight, Remus headed towards the tapestry hiding his friends.

"How'd you know, Moony?!" James asked upon his arrival.

"Shh," Lily insisted. "We'll talk about it when we get back to the Common Room. Let's just go first before we get caught."

James gave a look like he was about to rebuttal, but instead kept it to himself. "You're right," he conceded. "Get under the cloak."

Sirius, Marlene, and he huddled together on the cloak, just barely, but followed Lily and Remus back up the castle. Their interest in Remus was tearing at each one of them, including Lily, but they knew it would be best to wait.

Lily gave the Fat Lady the password and apologized for waking her at this late hour. She and Remus made sure to pause before entering their tower to ensure that the three under the invisibility cloak had time to go in. Once the door shut, James pulled the cloak off. Without missing a beat, he pointed at Remus and said, "You have some explaining to do, Mate."

"I got the job done, didn't I?" Remus replied as he plopped down on the couch.

"How'd you know Meadowes was going to be there?" asked Sirius.

"How'd you know that we were going to be there?" asked Marlene.

"And how'd you know that Meadowes would actually let you in?" Lily concluded.

Remus blinked quickly before taking a deep breath. "One - I had seen Meadowes walking in Dumbledore's office for that meeting. It was pretty lucky, actually. I was coming from McGonagall's office and saw her about to go in. I made a relatively impulsive decision and just asked for her to meet me after she was done with the meeting. I also knew that it would be the same time you lot would be failing the mission."

"We did not _fail_ the mission," Sirius mocked. "We got it all in the end."

Remus scoffed, "And that was because I saved your arses. You lot were going to wait until Dumbledore came back? You think Dumbledore wouldn't be a wee-bit skeptical with a rat and a newspaper?"

The rat twitched its nose and then turned inward towards Remus' body.

The four others exchanged awkward glances because everything that Remus said was true. The surprise rat could have seriously been a step closer to disaster. They imagined several horrible scenarios if they had been caught: endless detention with Filch, probation, or even expulsion.

"How'd you know Meadowes would help you?" James inquired after a moment. "You two seem… intimate."

Remus shook his head and said, "She's just a decent human being."

"What's the supposed dirt you have on her?" Sirius asked curiously, with a twinge of bitterness in his tone. "Wait, what does she have on you?"

Remus paused. "I can't tell you that."

"Aw, come on, Lupin," Marlene said, pushing his shoulder encouragingly. "Whatcha got on Dorcas Meadowes? She's… so secretive. Only recently has she been social."

Remus wanted to tell his Marauders that the Slytherin knew about his lycanthropy, and he was completely terrified by her potential power. In a way, he also knew that Meadowes wouldn't because that just didn't seem up her alley. As long as he had known Dorcas, which was limited to a handful of classroom experiences, he never took her as the type who craved attention or was interested in ruining someone's life. It seemed like she genuinely enjoyed keeping to herself. So, he knew that she wouldn't tell Remus' secret. It would necessitate too many interactions with others. So, Remus decided that he shouldn't share either. Not even to his Marauders.

"She is secretive," Remus agreed. He looked up to each one of his friends and said, "And I want to respect that, because she respects that about me too. So, please don't ask me anymore."

Lily bit her lip and felt bad for intruding on something that made Remus so vulnerable. "Sorry," she apologized. "We won't ask anymore questions about you and Meadowes."

Remus smiled flatly. "Thanks." He dug into his pocket and pulled out the crumpled newspaper. "Here you go," he said as he passed it to Lily.

"It better be worth it," Sirius grumbled. There were only a few pages of it, but there had to be something. They refused to believe that there was nothing strange about this censorship.

" ** _MASON NAGUT SENTENCED DEMENTORS' KISS IN AZKABAN PRISON. EXECUTION DATE ANNOUNCED,_ " **Lily read from yesterday's front page. She crooked her head and repeated, "Mason Nagut… That's a terrible surname to be born with."

"Bloody Hell," James murmured in astonishment as he reached over for the front page.

"Who's Mason Nagut?" Lily asked. All of her friends' eyes were wide like they had seen a ghost.

Sirius laughed a little and said, "A bloody compost site now. Thank Merlin he won't be wasting oxygen anymore."

Lily's eyebrows raised. She was more than aware that Sirius had a dark sense of humor, but he never really talked about someone _that_ maliciously before. "What'd he do?" She asked curiously.

Marlene sat down and explained, "He was a Grindlewald fanatic. One of the most barbaric ones. He was rather close to Grindlewald too, I think."

The female prefect sucked in her breath at just the name. Some say that Grindlewald was even worse than Voldemort, and was even more savage. In _History of Magic,_ Professor Binns actually held an interesting lecture (for once) about Gindlewald, and it was terrifying. The cities he nearly destroyed, the number of muggles he killed and enslaved, and the dark magic that he produced from his wand were all too much. And his followers were just as cruel. Lily remembered that lecture last semester and how she nearly cried at how barely anything changed in the decades passed.

"What did Nagut do specifically?" Lily asked. "I don't remember Binns discussing him during the Grindlewald lectures."

"That's because the shite Nagut did was too vulgar to even share in a classroom," Remus informed. "He was _sick,_ Lily."

An uncomfortable silence shifted through the air. Everyone looked down, not wanting to say it themselves. But eventually James spoke up. "You know Gindlewald's ideology, right?" He asked in relatively calm tone.

"Of course," Lily nodded.

"Then, you're aware that his whole thing was magical supremacy and muggle enslavement. Well, Nagut took this notion… _too_ far," James struggled towards the end.

"Beating around it isn't going to make it easier to say," Lily said in a considerate voice.

James rubbed the back of his neck. Something about saying this to Lily was hard for him. He knew that she was sensitive, and especially when it came to others. No one wants to be the bearer of bad news, but no one else was stepping up either. He took a deep breath and said, "Nagut advocated for the muggle enslavement portion greatly. He believed that it was efficient, and said that the only muggle with a little sense was that evolutionist pioneer. What's his name… Dante, Dothan…"

"Darwin," Remus helped.

"Right, Darwin. Anyway, he believed in all that in regards to magic. However, this is where he turned left. Even for many pure blood supremacists."

Lily waited patiently with her teeth clenched. Mason Nagut already sounded bad, and how much more worse could one person get?

James bit his lip before saying carefully, "Nagut and his extreme-extremists used to _attack_ muggle women."

Lily straightened up and muttered, "An attack as in…?"

"Attack as in rape," Marlene finished in crossed tone. "He was a complete animal, Lily. He thought that muggle women should be used to further the lineages of the Sacred Twenty-Eight. This man deserves to have his soul sucked out and be spat in the deepest part of the Atlantic."

Lily nodded slowly, taking time to process the story behind Mason Nagut. She looked back at the paper and then asked, "Why would Dumbledore hide that though? That seems like something… that would make people feel... I don't know, content?"

"Elated, you mean," Sirius smirked. "He should've been executed a long time ago."

James flipped open the newspaper and read aloud:

 _"Last night, the third of January 1977, the Minister of Magic released a statement concerning Mason Nagut's execution. As many may know, Mason Nagut was previously serving a life-long prison sentence in Azkaban for numerous charges for the use of all three Unforgivable Curses on muggles, wizards, and witches alike between the years 1942-1945 and the continued reign of terror through much of the 40s and 50s before being caught by HitWizards in 1961. During his sentence, Nagut had repeatedly attempted to escape from the prison surrounded by Dementors._

 _However, yesterday morning Nagut came too close for comfort. Officials will not make a statement as to how, but the infamous Grindlewald Worshiper somehow managed to produce a Patronus Charm wandlessly and large enough to distract and deter the guards long enough. Nagut jumped into the ocean and attempted to swim before being picked up by Dementors._

 _The Minister and his advisors declared that Nagut would be sentenced to receive the kiss from the Dementors. He also claimed that more Dementors will be added the guard the premise to ensure that this sort of mistake never occurs again. The Minister revealed that he will be executed on the first of February, in line with prison protocol. When sentencing an escaped prisoner to the Kiss, the excutionee has one month, unless under special circumstances, to live in peace without the presence of Dementors. Mason Nagut will be placed in a special magicless holding cell at a secure location._

 _Protocol also calls for the executionee's final requests. Many of the requests that prisoner's make often cannot go through for obvious reasons, but the Ministry does allow supervised meetings with non-convicted friends and family. Once the execution verdict and date had been decided by the Head of the Department of Magical Law during the Court Hearing, Nagut shouted his final request._

 _Nagut roared angrily and shouted that his work for Grindlewald would pass on without him, through his kin. It should be noted that Mason Nagut had no next of kin legally, according to the Ministry of Magic. This means that he most likely vulgarly alluded to his former muggle rape victims. Nagut continued by saying that he knows he has a child who should be around the age upperclassmen at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry, and that he can feel the child's magic through his veins. He claims that the child is close and ready to overcome muggles and even the 'unworthy' Dark Lord himself. His final request is to meet the heir to the Grindlewald and Nagut reign before the Kiss Sentence._

 _It is unknown if the Ministry will comply to find the child, but it seems highly unlikely. More curiously is what Headmaster Albus Dumbledore will do or say in these circumstances. Chances are that Nagut has truly lost his sense and only thinks that he may have a biological offspring at Hogwarts, but it still raises shivers to think of such a situation._

 _More will be updated as the story progresses."_

No one spoke for a long moment. It may have been a minute, five minutes, ten minutes, who knows maybe even a half hour before Lily repeated in a disgusted voice, " _More will be updated as the story progresses._ Are you fucking kidding me?"

"Evans," James scoffed, "I know that the final statement is not the thing that's getting you riled up right now, is it?"

"Of course not!" Lily countered. "It doesn't help though. Is the bloody reporter just going expecting Dumbledore to hand over the name whoever this child potentially may be? That's atrocious."

"And how would Dumbledore know?" Marlene added. "Some sort of charmed genetic test?"

"Dumbledore won't do that," Remus argued, "He would never even investigate who this student was for the sake of Mason Nagut's final wish."

"I agree," Sirius said, "this is nothing to worry about. Even if the Nagut scum is in the school, the kid is probably some dark fucked-up meth addict. Probably goes to Dumstrang too like every Grindlewald follower does. The bigot doesn't even know what he's talking about."

"He did specifically mention Hogwarts though," Lily reminded them.

"But Dumstrang is the old home of Grindlewald! It's much more likely the kid ends up there than here."

"How d'you reckon that?" She asked, crossing her arms.

"Because they're all mental barbarians," Sirius concluded simply.

"You don't know who this potential child was raised by though," Lily said irritably. "You can't just jump to the biological similarities."

"Tell me the thought of Mason Nagut's child does not frighten the shite you, just a little bit?" Sirius insisted.

Lily paused before she argued, "If the kid was raised in a nurturing and loving home, then he or she may turn out great. You can't give all the blame everything on the biological parents."

Sirius was about to provide some very raw evidence, but chose to keep his mouth shut.

"This would cause a stir though," James said, making everyone look at him. He had stayed quiet for too long after he read the article. He had just been staring aimlessly at it. "All the students at Hogwarts would go into a frenzy."

"You're right. The castle already devours rumors as is," Marlene agreed. She sighed, "it would be a mess."

Remus looked back at the newspaper, causing his chest to stir. He hoped that Dorcas Meadowes was right about saying that the Prophet was rubbish, but this was too much. He should've kept this secret hidden locked up. "Dumbledore was right to hide this," he said wearily.

"We can't tell anyone," James said in a serious voice. "We really cannot or else the students will be at each others' necks than we already."

"But what if the 'Nagut' heir is really at Hogwarts?" Marlene murmured. "Would they… you know, want to know?"

Sirius let out a mirthless laugh. "No one wants to find out that their parent, birth or not, is a rapist, homicidal maniac, Blondie."

Marlene punched him squarely in the arm. Sirius took a deep breath before saying, "McKinnon, I am not above punching a girl."

"Neither am I."

"All right, stop it," James demanded as he stood in between Sirius and Marlene. "He's right, Marls. We shouldn't dig into this. It would be best for everyone that way."

Marlene rolled her eyes and looked away.

"No one goes digging on this, agreed?" Lily requested.

There was a moment of hesitation before they all said in unison, "Agreed."

* * *

The Slytherins watched Dorcas Meadowes unison enter the common room quietly and head towards the dormitories. They made sure she was fully gone before Parkinson checked in with his comrades. "Is everyone clear?"

"You really mean it?" Evan Rosier asked excitedly, like a child about to go on a roller coaster. "Voldemort wants us to find Nagut's kid?"

"My contact says that it is imperative to the Death Eater goal to find out who he may be," Parkinson explained.

Severus Snape tapped his cup quietly with his fingers. His cold did not help the mental processing of what he had just heard. The Dark Lord wanted to find a student, around the age of sixteen and seventeen, who may be the biological child of Mason Nagut. That seemed time-consuming and useless to his rising. "That's all the contact gave you?" Severus inquired.

"Don't ask questions, Snape," snapped Parkinson in an authoritative tone that made Severus want to chuckle. "Questioning his explanations is like questioning the Dark Lord himself."

Severus wanted to point out that is exactly what he meant by that but chose not to waste his breath. "Fine," he said shortly, "what're we to do then? When do we begin?"

Parkinson smirked, "We start tomorrow."

* * *

 _A/N - THE PLOT THICKENS! I hope you enjoyed this installment, please stay tuned for the next chapter :) In the meantime, drop your girl a review, a follow, or a favorite maybe? Hehe._

 _Much love,_

 _Rose_


	10. Chapter 10

**January 19th, 1977**

One would think that six friends would have an easy time keeping a secret amongst each other. They could talk about it with five different people and share a burden. Even after two weeks had gone by, they still felt confined by the knowledge they sought out. The thought - or the paranoia - would creep on them at the most random times of day: _Who is Mason Nagut's child?_

James Potter, Sirius Black, Marlene McKinnon, and Peter Pettigrew openly believe that if there were an offspring at Hogwarts, it had to be a Slytherin. But Lily Evans and Remus Lupin were less inclined to limit the options to a single house.

"He could be anyone of us," Peter insisted fiercely to his fellow Marauders.

"Or a she," shrugged James as they sat down for their OWL potions lesson. He positioned himself next to Remus since he and Sirius were banned from sitting next to each other in Slughorn's classes (4th year hair removal explosion - yikes).

Peter nodded, "Sure. But don't you think it would have to be a Slytherin. Naturally sadistic, naturally vile, naturally... _evil_."

"Give it a bloody rest, Wormy," Remus grumbled, setting his books down. His eyes traveled around the room like, they did recently every class. When his friends asked why, he'd reply 'oh, nothing.' They stopped asking yesterday.

"My galleon is on Rosier," Sirius mumbled as he leaned back in his seat with his hands behind his head. He jerked his head to the next aisle of desks and said, "The prick looks mad."

"Last week, you said it was Parkinson," Peter reminded.

The Marauders did their best at subtlety while peering over at the back of the class, where Evan Rosier always sat. He was a strange one. He had pale white skin with prominent veins, a thick neck, and eyes that constantly looked hungry. Rumor has it that he nearly got expelled for killing a Threstal in the Forbidden Forest in their third year.

James blinked a few times, but turned away. Rosier seemed too easy of a choice. It would be someone unexpected, right? That's how all mysteries go. A solid 97% of James wanted to point a wand at Snape. The creep was obviously some sort of sadomasochistic genius that clearly fit the profile, but James also knew that Snape knew who his birth parents are for sure. At the beginning of last year, he had followed Lily into the library, like he would on rare occasions when he had free time. He could just watch her study, chat with Marlene, Vance, and McDonald, and just smile.

That was beside the point though.

James saw that Lily had met up with Snape that time. He was telling her about how a letter he got about his father nearly broke his mother's nose during one of their 'discussions.' He told Lily that he wants to exterminate his genetic line forever because of Tobias Snape. So, that ended that theory.

And apparently, his mother is a Prince. Not that any of the Princes interact with Severus since his mother married a muggle. So, Nagut's child couldn't have been Snape. James looked over to Severus, who was whispering, rather furiously, with Mariah Avery. He was always up to something though.

James' attention shifted when Professor Slughorn waddled out of his office. "Hello, my NEWTs," smiled Slughorn. He stood at his podium and took out attendance. He removed his spectacles and looked up, "McKinnon?"

Marlene, who was sharing a desk in the back with Emmeline Vance, raised her head and asked, "Yes, Professor?"

"Where is your friend, Miss Evans?" Slughorn asked curiously. "She's normally never late to my class."

"Don't know," Marlene shrugged indifferently. She then focused her eyes on the Potions Master more. "I know you like her more, Professor," she said in a short voice, "but I'm not her secretary."

Professor Slughorn blushed for a moment as students chuckled at the all-too-real statement. "That is not true, Miss McKinnon," he said. "You are good friends with her, so I thought you may know- ah, Miss Evans, prompt as ever."

Lily Evans looked back at her professor as she attempted to sneak into the classroom quietly. "Sorry," she apologized hastily. She appeared rather frazzled - her hair frayed in a tight bun above her head; her shirt was untucked; and she looked like she had just played the longest game of Quidditch that James had ever seen.

 _She just got shagged,_ James' mind spoke too loudly. He just stared at her as she skittered in. She took the open desk in the back and pulled out her textbooks and notebook. James snapped his head away, not wanting to focus anymore of his attention on her.

"Maybe you should start working on your stamina," Professor Slughorn joked.

Lily let out a breathless chuckle. "You have no right, Professor, to be giving me advice about my body," she said in a gentle, yet clear voice.

Professor Slughorn opened his mouth to speak, but everyone knew it was true. The students chuckled quietly. He cleared his throat and tapped his papers against the podium. "Let's get on with the lesson, shall we?"

The class went on boringly. It was a theory class on Amortania, which was rather long and frustrating to listen to. An hour suddenly felt like seven, and when Slughorn finally dismissed them, everyone rushed out. Lily took her time, however, as she put her notes into her bag. She was tired at this point. She had been studying all day, with the occasional snog sesh. Actually more like four thirty minute snog sessions.

"Where were you?" Marlene asked curiously as she bent down into a squat next to Lily's desk. She poked at finger at her friend's shoulder teasingly. "You're never late to Potions."

Lily blushed profusely, but said nothing for a moment. "I was with Connor."

"Fucking," Emmeline nodded confidently, "I told you she was getting shagged, Marlene."

"I was not getting shagged," Lily countered hotly as she stood up. Her blush deepened. "Just the before stuff."

Marlene let out an irritated groan. They left the classroom so that Slughorn couldn't hear their dirty talk. "Here I was thinking that I'd be proud of you," she grumbled. "I would've pulled out the champagne and the weed. Lily, how long are you going to make poor Greyson wait for you to give it up?"

"I'm not making him wait. I just… er… I think…" she trailed off and bit her lip. The silence spoke for itself. Her two friends exchanged knowing glances.

"If he's not the one, Lily, then who is?" Emmeline asked curiously. "Or, is it that you don't like him? Love, I resonate with that - trust me. But if you don't even want to shag the bloke then that's pretty much a sign. A sign that the stars just aren't aligning. He's a Taurus, isn't he? They're incredibly possessive, and Aquarius women just don't like to be tied down- "

"Ok, slow down," Marlene interrupted. "All good, Em, but not what we need right now." She stopped Lily from walking all the way into the Great Hall for dinner. All three girls noticed the Head Boy sitting by Caradoc Dearborn and the Prewett Twins; they were all laughing at one of Fabian's impersonations of Professor Binns. The three girls moved out of the entrance, not wanting to be visible. "Lily, do you even like Connor?" Marlene asked.

Lily opened her mouth, but nothing came out. She wanted - no, needed - to say yes. But, it just couldn't happen; the words refused to come out. "We have other things to focus on," Lily insisted as waved the subject away.

"Like what?" The blond asked hotly. "Come on, Lily. It's not fair to him or you. You just need to decide if you do like him; this see-saw shite has been going on for just too long."

"I know," Lily agreed impatiently. She let out an exasperated sigh, "I just can't seem to focus on that right now."

"What's got your mind so wrapped up, eh?"

"Oh, I don't know! Mason Nagut's child?" Lily nearly shouted.

…

"Fuck," she breathed as her eyes darted between her friends. "Fuck fuck fuck," she repeated as she grabbed her head. She had been so heated in the moment, so tried of this conversation that she just let it slip. "Fuck!"

Marlene rubbed the bridge of her nose quietly as Emmeline gasped at the name. "Mason Nagut has a child?" She asked lowly. "Grindelwald's follower?" When there was no answer, she let out a breath, "Fuck... How do you know that?"

"We snuck into Dumbledore's office nights ago," Lily explained in an almost guilty tone. "With the marauders. We wanted to know why haven't been getting the Prophet for those two days-"

"Wait, wait, wait, _nights ago?_ " Emmeline said quickly. Her eyes narrowed on Marlene this time, who was now tapping her foot awkwardly and curling her lips in. "You knew about this too? That Mason Nagut has a kid?"

"Aw, come on, Em," Marlene murmured exasperatedly. "We couldn't tell anyone."

"This we shite is confusing me," the dark-haired girl said irritably. "You and the Marauders? I know Potter's your cousin, Marls, but when did Lily start hanging out with them? And when did you both start keeping secrets - something like that - from me? From Mary? Especially about something that big!"

"Dumbledore hid those two Prophets for a reason, a good one," Lily said in a soft voice, just trying to calm the situation. "So, we didn't think to share it with anyone. I'm sorry, Em, but including you too."

Emmeline's face hardened. "This is important, Lily!" She almost shouted, causing a few passing by, including an unamused Professor McGonagall, to peer over at them. Emmeline took a deep breath. "There is a war outside of these doors that I continuously try to understand and figure out how I can help with. And that's my sight! Something that important should've been in my vision."

"Emmeline," Lily murmured in a tender voice.

"No, Lily, I don't want pity," she interrupted in stern voice, "I'm not in the fucking mood. Now, what is going on? What did I miss?"

Lily and Marlene exchanged glances. Marlene gave Lily a why-not sort of gesture before the ginger turned to look at her crossed friend. Recently, Emmeline hasn't been able to foresee as much, and the poor girl couldn't stand it. She's never been perfect at fortune telling because foreseeing is such a complex art, but she always had an inclination for it. Practicing at Hogwarts helped her tremendously over the years, making her one of the finest pupils that Professor Sinastra has ever seen. But recently, everything has been rather foggy for Emmeline's sight.

Lilly took a deep breath. "Apparently, Nagut believes that he has an illegitimate child at Hogwarts, one that could have been birthed by one of his victims back in the early 60s. And he would like to meet this child before his execution in a month. You know? Through the Azkaban execution process?"

Emmeline blinked a few times. "Bloody hell," she mumbled. She looked up at them and asked, "Here? At the school?"

"It's just a belief," clarified Marlene, "it may not even be real. He attacked so many women during his reign of terror that who knows if he does have a child, and better yet, is the child even magical?"

Emmeline leaned against the wall. "But, if they were at the school, maybe I should've saw something? A warning?" Her face fell as she pursed her lips.

"Or maybe this child doesn't even exist," Lily offered, "you do have natural sight, Em. Maybe the fact that you didn't detect it is a sign that this child does not exist. Or attend Hogwarts."

Emmeline appeared unconvinced. "Or the kid is waiting for their portion of Roast Beef at any one of those tables."

Marlene, Lily, and Emmeline both leaned in towards the entrance and peered into the Great Hall. At Hogwarts in the year of 1977, there were roughly three hundred students. Students of all colors, all backgrounds, and of all different kinds of blood sat together for supper. The options seemed limitless.

"You don't know that," Lily insisted.

"No, I don't know," Emmeline agreed in a solemn voice, "and that terrifies me." She turned on her heel and began to towards the Dungeon's staircase.

"Em! Aren't you coming to dinner?" Marlene asked confusedly as the two Gryffindors watched their Hufflepuff friend sulk away from them.

"No, don't feel like it," she said tiredly, not even turning back to look at them.

* * *

Later that hour, James couldn't help but watch as Lily Evans walked away from him. Well, not just him but the entire Gryffindor table. Dinner was relatively amicable between them, like it had been for the past two weeks. Apparently, keeping a secret allows for two to become more intimate.

But that doesn't mean it didn't suck to watch her walk off with the Head Boy. His arm was around her shoulder, and she smiled brightly at him. They seemed perfect, like a fairytale. It was an unnecessary punch to the gut, especially after seeing her in… a flustered state during potions. _You're a jealous sod_ , his mind reminded.

"Oy, Prongs," nudged Peter, snapping James out of his self-deprecation spiral. "You got a little birdie flying your way," he added with a chuckle.

James turned his head and saw Camilla Henley walking down the aisle. She waved as she came closer. He waved back and scotched over for her, making space between himself and Marlene.

"Cool, Cousin," the blond said drably. "Slags before fam. I'll remember that."

"Dramatics," James countered. "You use it for your vocal lessons too?"

"It's called emotions, James," she said knowingly, "feel them." She then peered her eyes at Camilla as she sat down. Marlene pursed her lips and continued to eat her dinner.

"Hi, Potter," Camilla said in a sweet tone.

"Evening, Henley," he replied kindly. He gave her a small smile, the subtle one that girls liked the most. "How can I help you?"

Camilla crossed her legs so that more of her slim leg could be shown. His eyes followed the line of his skirt before looking back at her. In the background, he saw Marlene imitate gagging on her dinner. He focused back on the brunette. "Well," Camilla started, "I have a History of Magic essay coming up. I chose to write mine about women in Quidditch, and I was wondering if I could maybe hear some of your thoughts? Maybe over some tea in Hogsmeade? My treat?" She batted her eyelashes once and gave him a slight smirk.

He knew what was going on. James Potter was no idiot. Chances are Camilla didn't just come up to him because he was the house's Quidditch Captain, but also because she wanted to get a reason for them to be alone. He didn't blame her either - they were both easy choices for each other, ever since New Year's.

"It would be my pleasure," he said politely. He returned the flirtation back with a wink.

Camilla couldn't hide her elation as her smile grew proudly. "This Saturday work for you? Say two o'clock?"

"I'll meet you in the Common Room," James finalized.

Camilla licked her lips and stood up. She straightened her shoulder a bit and gave him a slight nod, "See you then."

"See you," he replied with a wave. James watched her walk away and decide that he much prefer watch Camilla Henley walk away rather than Lily Evans. She had a nice sway to her hips and walked away with confidence. It was a much more… satisfying feeling.

"I heard she's brutal when betrayed, according to Cresswell. Almost performed a freezing charm on a lad's privates," Marlene informed, causing the Marauders to sit up a bit straighter. "You don't want to cross her, even by accident. Sensitive slags are the worst."

"She seems nice," James countered. "I could use some niceness."

Remus let out a snort. "You got enough niceness this summer to cure trauma patients at St. Mugno's."

"Sod off," James hissed, still focusing on Camilla. She peered over at him; their eyes interlocked for a moment. She blushed and turned back to Hestia and began talking again.

"Or who knows?" Peter shrugged, "Daddy may be Nagut and kill you without even looking at you. I mean, the bloke can produce a bloody patronus without a wand. I wonder what his patronus even is? You think a patronus can be a dementor-"

"Shut up, Peter!" The three others whispered hotly.

Peter squeaked before quickly saying, "Shutting."

* * *

Sirius cursed the young woman before him. He nearly pulled out his wand and actually did it. Perhaps a tongue-tying hex, or something. He followed her all this way and missed dinner for this? Why did Dorcas Meadowes have to be the freak to actually enjoy below freezing temperatures? The Slytherin was sitting on a bench in the middle of the courtyard with a lit cigarette in her mouth. Snow surrounded her body, but she didn't seem cold in her jeans, boots, trench coat, and seemingly light scarf. She looked tired with dark bags under her eyes; her skin looked paler than usual; and her usually plump lips looked dry and peeling. Dorcas had actually looked like this the past few days, in just the few glimpses he saw of her.

Sirius took a step forward, causing a loud crunch. Dorcas heard it and immediately stood up. She moved so fast that he couldn't see her pull out her own wand. "Oh…" she murmured after a moment. She put it back in jeans and sat down. "My bad."

"Someone's a little jumpy I see," he said, wrapping his cloak around him more.

"Just tired," Dorcas murmured.

"Mind if I join you?"

Dorcas eyed him carefully before nodding. She took a long drag as she sat back and watched Sirius sit down beside her. "What do you want?" She asked, letting the smoke out in one big tuft.

"Can't I just join you on this freezing cold evening?" He asked with a charming grin.

Dorcas scoffed. "What's with you Marauders? Can't you just say what you have to say instead of beating around the bush?"

Sirius crossed his arms and leaned his back against the bench, trying his best not to shiver. "Why haven't you been showing up to classes?" he asked bluntly.

Dorcas pursed her lips. She let the silence settle itself as she took another drag. "I don't see how that's really any of your concern," she countered.

"What's with you, Meadowes?" Sirius asked teasingly. "Can't you just say what you have to-"

"Sod off, Black," she hissed. "I get it."

Sirius chuckled to himself. "I'm only asking because Remus seems rather preoccupied with your absence," he explained. He noted how she paused at the name of Remus' name. He had to admit that their relationship intrigued, and, maybe even, rubbed him the wrong way. "He's been looking for you in every class that we have together which is Potions, DADA, Charms-"

"I get it," Dorcas gritted through her teeth.

Sirius noted her impatience and couldn't tell if her shivering hands were due to the cold or due to her mental state. He waited for her to continue.

"I… I haven't been sleeping well lately," Dorcas explained.

Now of all the things that could be wrong with the elusive Dorcas Meadowes, sleep deprivation was not the first thing that Sirius had considered. A sickness, a sickness in her family maybe, or plan old teenage angst. But, for sleeping to be such a concern, it had to be bad.

"Like insomnia?" Sirius asked.

Dorcas shook her head. "It's more like staying asleep," she revealed. "I've tried endless sleeping draughts, and Dumbledore has also been teaching me meditation methods he learned in Tibet. Nothing works though. And during the day, I can't seem to stay awake."

"And that's why you don't show to class," Sirius finished. The dots fit together perfectly.

"The professors know too."

"You should tell Remus," Sirius advised.

"Well, I mean - what's he so concerned with anyway?"

"That's a good question for you, Dorcas Meadowes," Sirius said as he stood up, not being able to stand the cold. Or that's what he told himself. He wasn't particularly interested in hearing anymore about his former one-night-stand's and his best friend's secretive relationship. "Either way, can I tell him about your disruptive REM cycle so that he'll stop looking for you every class? It's rather irritating."

Dorcas raised an eyebrow. Sirius knew that long because he gave it to people all the time. The 'are-you-serious?' look. "No, I'm not jealous," he countered.

"I wasn't suggesting that you were," Dorcas countered playfully as she smoked more.

"That being said, if you aren't secretly shagging my mate, I would be willing to have another go at it," Sirius said with a signature smile, even as Dorcas chuckled. "Maybe it would help with your sleep?"

Dorcas chucked her cig and stood up. She looked him in the eyes; her ice blue eyes piercing into his. "I'm gonna pass."

Sirius convulsed and put his hand over his heart. "Ouch, ouch," he imitated, "Not many girls pass up the second round, Love."

"It was fun, Sirius, I mean that," Dorcas said earnestly. She let out a yawn, almost to the point of tears, "but I'm not really interested in trying to complicate anything right now."

"No complications, I solemnly swear," he said putting his hand up. "I'm good at simple."

Dorcas patted him on the shoulder. "Tell Remus thank you for checking up on me. And thank you too for being the messegener." She turned around and headed towards the staircase that led back down to the Slytherin dungeon.

Sirius couldn't help but gawk as she walked away. He let out a weak, "Ouch," in response to the girl's verbal brutality.

* * *

Lily felt weak in the knees by the time her prefect rounds came up. She and Connor had been in his room practically all day. After dinner, they had gone pretty far too. For a second, she thought might even let Connor shag her. But, time was looking out for Lily's integrity even if she wasn't; she had to meet up with Hestia. She also couldn't help but think about Marlene's and Emmeline's intervention.

This is what Lily knew for sure. She didn't love Connor; she knew what love felt like. She felt it for a lot of people like her parents, Petunia (occasionally), Marlene, Emmeline, and Mary. And even though romantic love is nothing like familial love, she did know it was supposed to be powerful. And what she felt for Connor was not powerful. Her 'love' for him was subtle, like a murmur or a whisper.

Maybe that's how romantic love starts. That's what Lily told herself. She obviously cared for Connor immensely and was most definitely attracted to him. He was bloody handsome, a rudy good kisser, and even made her cum with his mouth. But still.

"Lily?" a chipper voice called.

Lily popped her head up and saw Hestia Jones standing before her. "Hi, Jones," she said, a bit flustered. She let out an awkward chuckle. "Sorry, just got a little lost in my thoughts."

Hestia shook her head. "Don't worry," she said, "you must be terribly busy as a NEWT student and a prefect. Honestly, only you could do it! And you have a boyfriend!"

Lily let out that awkward chuckle again. "Er, thanks, Hestia. That's nice of you."

"I just don't know how you do it," she shrugged as they began to walk towards the Grand Staircase. "It must be so much."

"Yes, well, it is, but most definitely worth it," Lily clarified. "You must be studying hard for your OWLs."

Hestia laughed. "Yeah, I am. I feel good in DADA, Ancient Runes, and Transfiguration for sure. I'm a little shaky in Charms and Potions, but if I study hard enough, I think I'll be able to be able to get an E. I'm fucked for Astronomy though. I accept that."

Lily laughed. She always appreciated Hestia's brutal honesty, and at least, she knew how to keep a conversation going. "I wish Camilla was studying harder though," Hestia grumbled.

"Henley is a rather diligent student, I thought."

"She is," Hestia confirmed, "the naturally smart type too. But she still needs work in some areas, but just doesn't care about them. She could get so far, a Ministry job even, but gets so lazy sometimes. Or preoccupied." There was a bit of an umph at the end, causing Lily to pause.

"Why do you say that?" Lily asked carefully.

Hestia shrugged, "Just her Potter crush as usual."

"Potter?!" Lily asked, a little too loudly.

"Yeah," Hestia said as if it were obvious. "She always fancied him, since our third year. And it's not that I don't want Camilla to talk with Potter, especially after that New Year's Party."

Lily raised her eyebrows. Her mind flashed back to that kiss involuntarily - it just raced their like it was a bloody marathon. For a second, she was back at Marlene's castle, midnight, and with James Potter's lips against hers. "Yeah, New Year's," repeated Lily. She shook her head of the thought.

"But, I don't want it to take up all her time. Boys shouldn't be more important than our grades this year, or ever for that matter," Hestia continued, unaware of Lily's flashback. "I just want us to do well."

"Do you know if Potter is into her?" Lily asked, trying to hide her hesitation. She wanted to smack herself. What the fuck was she doing, prying into someone else's business? And why the fuck did she care about Henley liking Potter? She really hated her mind's incessant free association game. Freud would have a field day with her.

Hestia let out a loud laugh. "Apparently! Because all she does is keep talking about how he agreed to help her with a paper on Quidditch."

"He is the one for that topic though," Lily pointed out.

"That he is," agreed Hestia.

"Running around with that snitch all day," Lily grumbled. "Henley will have an entire thesis by the time he's done with her." Hestia joined her in the laughter. "You know what I'm talking about, Jones? He looks like a fucking giraffe with those gangly limbs flying everywhere."

Hestia and Lily continued to laugh at the thought of James as a giraffe. It seemed like any other prefect round until Hestia bent so far back laughing that her head tilted. Her eyes opened to a terrible sight.

"Oh my God," she breathed.

Lily looked up too and clutched her mouth to stop a scream from bursting out. Dirk Cresswell's body was hanging limp, floating in the air.

"Dirk," Hestia said. "Dirk! Dirk!" She clutched the handle bars as she ran up the stairs, closer to where Dirk hung. The stairs decided to keep changing, making it difficult for Lily to follow. "We have to get him down!" Hestia panicked, tears forming in her eye ducts.

"I know, I know," Lily agreed hastily. Her mind sped as she tried to figure out how Dirk ended up there. Her thinking however did not catch up in time. The stairs moved one more time, causing Lily to shake and loose her balance. Hestia too.

They almost did not see Dirk's body drop.

* * *

 _A/N - YAY! It's up, I figured out the uploading problem. (I'm a bit technologically inept hehe.) I'm so happy I got this chapter up today, so that you all wouldn't have to wait too long! Chapter 10 is a big deal for me, and I want to give a big shout out to TrueHomiePIP and other reviewers for keeping me motivated and showing some love. Thank you for following too, it means so much to me! Since it is my spring break, I will try to get another chapter up within the next few days!_

 _Hugs!_

 _Rose_


	11. Chapter 11

**January 20** **th** **, 1977**

It felt like Lily Evans was sleepwalking as she stepped out of Dumbledore's office. Her legs knew that she had to make it back to Gryffindor Tower and did the work, while her mind was racing. Although her body was tired, her mind was speeding. She was worrying about poor Hestia Jones, who had already finished her interview with the Ministry Wizard, who came about two hours ago. It took forever since Hestia was hiccuping throughout in an attempt to not sob. Lily thought it would be best if she were interviewed first, so that Hestia can return to her own room and rest.

Lily also couldn't shake the thought of still unconscious (but alive) Dirk Creswell, and the anonymous wanker who nearly killed her housemate. He was fine and under the capable supervision of Madam Pomfrey, so the prefect knew that Creswell would be fine. But it still terrified the crap out of her.

Once she reached the Fat Lady's Portrait, Lily gave the password. The Fat Lady quickly opened up the portrait before retuning to another portrait to gossip with her friend. By the morning, not just the portraits would be gossiping. Lily stepped inside and already heard her bed calling out for her. It referred to her as Evans though. Normally when Lily was sleep deprived, her bed tended to refer to as Lily, not Evans. Strange.

"Oy, Evans? Are you even in there?"

Lily looked up from her zombie walk and saw James Potter sitting on the couch of the common room. The dim light of the fire set an orange haze around him as he read a book.

"Bloody Hell," he murmured as he leaned forward to get a better look at her, "you alright? You look like you've… well, seen Hell."

"Clever, Potter," she said in a sort of dazed voice, not able to cultivate the power for a sassy retort.

"Seriously, Evans? Are you okay?" He stood up and walked closer to her, but paused a few steps away. "What happened?" He murmured, staring at a prominent black and blue mark on her knee.

Lily looked down. "Oh, that's nothing…" she said weakly. "It's just that… oh, where to begin?" She let out a breathless chuckle towards the end.

"Did someone hurt you? Merlin, was it Greyson? " He asked rapidly. He had more questions too, but was halted from proceeding when Lily put her entire hand over his mouth.

"Shhh…" Lily insisted tiredly. "You talk too much, Potter."

James didn't argue with this as Lily removed her warm hand from his lips. Was it weird that he wanted kiss each of her fingertips? They were so soft and delicate.

Yes, definitely weird.

"Someone tried to kill Dirk Creswell," Lily said in a hushed voice.

James' eyes widened. "What?"

"However, what got me was that his body was hanging in the air of the Grand Staircase. I don't know how long he had been up there, unconscious too. But, then he just dropped," Lily went on.

James could see how tired she was. She had her eyes closed and rubbed the back of her neck. He just had to know though. "Dirk's okay though, right? Fuck, you saw all this?"

"Yes, I was there. I caught him actually."

"Evans, you have chicken legs for arms."

"Oh, fuck off, you twit," she hissed. "I used a spell."

James gazed at her appraisingly before asking, "What spell can catch a person mid-fall. _Descendo_?"

Lily let out a sigh. "No, it's not important," she said impatiently. "What is important is that Cresswell is fine." She let out another yawn. "And that there is also an attacker in Hogwarts."

James wiped a hand over his face slowly. "Fuck," he groaned. He then looked down at Lily again. Her eyes were blinking slowly, and she was leaning against the wall. She completely leaned against the wall and slid down. "Whoa, whoa, whoa," James murmured as he leaned down to catch her before she fell completely.

"No, no," she said, smacking his hands away. "This is a choice. Sitting," she said dreamily.

"Evans, you can't just sleep there."

"And who says?"

"Your bum is going to get flatter than it already is."

"Ha. We both know that is not true, Potter. It's my only asset," she laughed weakly. "Haha, see what I did there? _Ass-set?"_

James tired his hardest not to laugh at her poorly made joke. He simply said, "And we both know that is not true either," as he leaned against the couch.

Lily popped one eye open. "Flattery won't get you far," she said coolly.

"Oh, don't I know?"

The ginger couldn't help but chuckle. She let both eyes close, and James just wished he could've taken a picture of her. Just like that. She looked so natural in that moment.

"You deserve it though, flattery," he added. "You just saved Cresswell from literally a falling death."

Lily's face fell but she nodded acceptingly. "Yeah, I did," she said softly. She tried to push her body up, but she was too tired at the amount; her legs nearly gave out. This time she didn't push James away when he grabbed her by the wrist. "Thanks," she whispered quietly.

"Lily," he said, still holding her wrist but with a softer grip, "are you all right? Was there anything else that happened?"

There was a short moment when Lily just didn't move, not even blink. She shook herself out of the moment and said, "There was a note; it was tapped on Cresswell's body."

James tensed, but waited for her to continue.

"It said, _Usupers will fall,_ " she continued softly. She looked up at him, and James sucked in his breath at her stare. He would never use the word sad to describe Lily Evans, but her stare sure was at the moment. "I think someone is after the child Mason Nagut, James."

James noticed Lily's limp hand and tried not to to notice the fact that she called him James. She seemed exhausted, and he shouldn't have kept her up for this long. "We'll talk about it in the morning," He suggested. He let her hand down gently and said, "You need to get to bed."

"Yes, I do," she agreed.

James, in his finest hero moment, bent down and reached out his arms to scoop Lily up. His well-intentioned plans were foiled when she flicked his forehead.

"Dammit, Evans," he grumbled, "I'm just trying to help - you look like you're about to faint."

Lily closed her eyes and held a blank expression. "I refuse to be carried like that anywhere," she said simply. She turned to walk away and added, "You can't come up to the girl's floor anyway."

James scoffed. It was oddly satisfying to watch her walk up those stairs alone.

* * *

Lily explained everything to her five housemates the next morning, before they all went down to breakfast. They listened to her intensely, but she could barely stay awake. She still had dark circles under her eyes and spoke in a dreamy sort-of voice. "And then, McGonagall and Filch found us," Lily finished as they stepped out of the Fat Lady's Portrait.

"Merlin," Marlene whispered in a soft voice. "Lily, that's incredible. You're a hero."

The ginger shook her head. "It's not that big of a deal," she said quietly. "I did what was necessary."

"That's putting it lightly," Remus scoffed. "There are a countless number of ways in which Cresswell could be in a coffin, not in a Hospital Bed: broken neck, bashed in head, heart attack-"

"Our ray of morning sunshine," Sirius smiled as he clapped his friend on the back. Remus gave him a crossed look, but didn't disagree. "Accept the compliment, Evans. Even if what you did was necessary, it was still important."

Lily gave a small smile. "Thanks."

"Oy, Lils!"

The five turned around and saw Connor Greyson running over to them. "Bloody perfect," Lily said with a forced smile. "What do I say to him?"

"The truth?" Peter offered.

"Oh, yes for any functioning relationship, we must tell the truth," Sirius mocked. "Let's discuss our illegal plans with the dear ole Head Boy."

"Actually, he may be helpful," James offered quietly. He was picking his teeth with a toothpick and then pointed at Lily with it. "He may offer up a bit more info on Nagut now that he didn't let up before."

Lily blinked her eyes as she watched Connor run over with a wide smile. "Hello, Marauders," Connor greeted them joyously. He was always a morning person.

"Oy, give up the details," Marlene said as she slung her arm around Connor's arm. "Who gave Cresswell dead man's hang?"

"No one was talking to you," James deadpanned as he tossed his toothpick into the nearest garbage.

"McKinnon," sighed Greyson, "please don't go around trying to hype this up. Bunches of students are already freaking out about the news. I don't need anymore panic to go around."

"People need to be told the truth," Marlene insisted coolly.

"Of course," Connor agreed, "but once we have the truth. We don't know what the bloody hell happened to Cresswell last night, so we shouldn't go preaching about it either."

Marlene opened her mouth, but said nothing. Perfect Headboy always had a comeback. Connor then looked at his tired girlfriend and pushed a piece of falling hair back. "Are you all right?" he asked.

"Yeah, just sleepy," Lily reassured.

"Well," Sirius said as he clapped his hands together, "I'm personally more of a news person instead of a rom-com for my morning telly. Tea, Mates?"

Lily narrowed her eyes at Sirius for intruding, but said nothing as her friends walked away. Marlene poked at her side before leaving and made a not-so-subtle sexual gesture. "Fall down the Grand Staircase," she hissed.

"Oh, too soon, Evans," Marlene mocked. "Too soon."

Lily made an impatient noise, rolling her eyes in the process. "She's terrible," she grumbled.

"She's… something else," Connor laughed lightly. He leaned in and kissed her temple. "I'm glad you're safe," he whispered in her ear, sending shivers down her spine. Drowsy Lily was also horny Lily.

"I am too," she said as she leaned against her. "It wasn't me who was up there."

"You did a brave thing."

"A smart thing."

Connor chuckled. 'Yes, smart indeed," he said rubbing her back. His hand skimmed down to her lower back; his fingers tickling her skin through the cotton shirt. "You had me worried, and I'm upset with Dumbledore that he didn't tell me until this morning." He brought her in close and kiss the top of her head. "I'm glad it wasn't you up there."

Lily looked up at him as Connor stared blankly, even though she could tell that much was going through his mind. She stayed quiet for a moment before asking, "Why would it have been me?"

Connor snapped back into reality and looked down. "I-I didn't mean it like that," he said quickly. "It's just all… rather unnerving."

"What's happening, Connor?" Lily asked in an exasperated sort of way. "No more omission, no more lies. Just tell me. Something is happening here. I saw what that letter said on Cresswell's body. What do you think they mean by Usuper?" She hated feigning ignorance, but this served a purpose. She needed to know how much Connor knew. "Please, Connor."

Connor pinched the bridge of his nose and held his breath for a moment. "Fucking hell, fine! Fine! I can't hide this from you anymore," he said loudly. He pulled her to the side of the staircase so that no one could see them talk. He dropped her arm and began his ramble:

"Mason Nagut was a fucking Grindlewald fanatic; the worst of the worst. He took everything the sadist said as pretty much God's word, and further. He used to attack muggle women, in the worst ways you can imagine, as birthing vessels for young witches and wizards. He wanted magic to control the world. Some say that Grindelwald looked at Nagut like his child."

Lily's eyebrows raised. Now that was a new piece of information.

"And on his viking escapade," Connor continued, "Nagut must've hurt hundreds of women. And since he's as much of narcissist as is he is a sociopath, he wants to find his apparent child."

"Merlin…" Lily added for a good portion of believable dramatics.

"The reason why we didn't get the Prophet for two days is due to the fact that the Headlines were all about Mason Nagut claiming that his child is here at Hogwarts."

"Here at Hogwarts?" Lily repeated.

Connor nodded solemnly. "And now it seems that a student is after the said child. I don't know how the assailant would've know that the child would be at Hogwarts. Dumbledore was very diligent about letting the newspaper back into the school, making sure that Nagut wasn't mentioned in any of the articles. He didn't want to start a witch hunt."

"That makes sense," Lily mumbled, thinking about if any of her housemates let it slip. However, that seemed unlikely. The Marauders were known for their secrecy, and Marlene may have had loud mouth tendencies, but she knew when to shut it if it were absolutely necessary. It couldn't have been one of them, right?

"The last part is that Mason Nagut made a very interesting claim," finished Connor. "He says that this child is a legitimate heir to rule the Magic World. He thinks that the child is more suitable than Voldemort."

Lily nodded her head and wiped a hand over her mouth. It seemed that Connor didn't have much to offer besides knowing that Nagut was like a son to Grindlewald. That explained the fanatic side to Nagut. Some kids would do anything for the approval of their father.

"That's all I know," explained Connor. He gave her a stern look. "I mean it, Lils. I really don't know if there's anything else to the story, but what worries me is that someone figured it out."

"Right," Lily agreed after moment of hesitation. "Is there any other way people might've found out that news?"

Connor let out a long sigh. "No," he answered honestly, "I really don't see how."

Lily dropped her head and sighed, "This is… complicated."

Her boyfriend stroked her hair delicately and said, "It is, Lily. That's why we can't let this spread around the school. There is enough bullying here as is, and if there really is an offspring at Hogwarts, then it will be a full-throttle student investigation. The potential child will be… attacked further than we can imagine."

Lily's eyes fluttered open, because her tired mind finally put something together. Puzzle pieces fitting together, causing a lightbulb to go off in her pretty head. She hid it though, rather well too. She couldn't share the news with Connor, not yet. She had to be sure.

"Thank you for telling me," Lily said softly. She kissed her boyfriend's cheek gingerly. "I know it must've been hard for you to tell me."

Connor smiled, the bright one that made Lily's heart melt slowly. "I'm glad I told you," he sighed, "it feels a lot better to be honest. I hate keeping things from you."

Lily bit her lip and kissed him softly. "Breakfast, shall we?"

"Breakfast indeed," Connor agreed, kissing her on the top of her head.

* * *

 **January 21** **st** **, 1977**

Hogwarts was a melting pot for gossip, and nearly everyone acknowledged it. The castle was big enough to hold thousands in it, but that didn't negate the fact that it was still small. The rumors of Cresswell's attempted assassination left students in a tizzy, with enough gossip to last them until end of the term.

The rumors spread drastically. Some students believed that it was a prank by blood supremacist students. It was a reasonable assumption since Cresswell was a muggle-born and a rather bright student. He had been bullied by a few pureblood students, but nothing as serious as this.

The other rumor was that Cresswell got too involved with Goblin magic. Most students who knew the 5th year also knew that he spent most of his free time reading about Goblin lore, language, and culture. Some postulated that maybe he interrupted a Goblin ceremony in the Forbidden Forest and got cursed as a result. That seemed rather outlandish, but honestly, who knew?

And the last one was that maybe a ghost did it. There were some spirits in the castle whom were just nasty, like Peeves, and there were some ghosts like the Bloody Baron. However, the moment that the rumors got to Dumbledore, he squashed them immediately by reminding students that ghosts could physically not harm humans.

And these were just some rumors.

Lily, however, had her own beliefs. She had been ruminating about them for what felt like forever. She didn't have a chance to share her ideas yet with her housemates because well, they were all busy with being students. It was reasonable, but she felt extremely frustrated.

In the library, after her DADA class, Lily sat tapping her quill against her parchment absentmindedly. Her eyes however were fixated on several students in a corner: Mariah Avery, Caleb Parkinson, Alex Mulciber, Evan Rosier, and Severus Snape. The five of them sat there, whispering furiously to one another. She had a feeling they weren't discussing nonverbal charms like their textbooks would indicate.

"Evans?"

Lily finally looked away from the Slytherin table and then looked up to see James and Remus standing in front of her.

"You look… distracted," noted Remus as he turned back to look at the whispering Slytherins.

"A bit. Sit with me," Lily offered as she moved away some of her school items from the table she sat at.

Both of the boys sat down opposite of her. "I can see the wheels churning in your head," noted James. "What's going on in that fiery head of yours?"

"Where's everyone else?" She asked. "Marlene? Peter? Sirius?"

"Marlene is working on a Muggle Music project. Peter has detention with Professor Slughorn. And Sirius… well, I have no clue," Remus revealed honestly.

Lily scrunched her nose and shrugged. "I figured out some interesting news," she said and leaned in. "Connor mentioned something that I didn't think of until he and I were speaking about it."

"Which is?" James asked.

"Connor explained that Grindelwald viewed Nagut as a son, which is very interesting to me," she explained.

"Yeah," James agreed, "some says Grindelwald even raised him."

"Yes, well that provides an interesting theory because Nagut also claimed that this child is more worthy than Voldemort."

James and Remus exchanged glances, not quite sure where Lily was headed with this line of thought.

The ginger rolled her eyes. "What's the one thing we know about Voldemort?" Lily asked rather obviously.

"More twisted than a labyrinth," James offered.

"Darker than night itself," Remus suggested.

Lily nodded, "Yes, that's all rather true, but not what I meant. Voldemort is a narcissist."

"Yes…" James and Remus said slowly, not seeing how that played an integral part in this discussion.

"Voldemort can't fathom the thought of anyone being more suitable to reign the Magical World than himself," Lily clarified in a hushed voice. "Even if it's just a rumor, he wants to squash it and make sure that no one is threatening him or his position. His ego is inflated beyond measure. Voldemort must be the one after the students; he was the one after Cresswell."

James stared at Lily's scrutinizing gaze. It made sense the way Lily put the pieces together, but there were still some unanswered portions to the theory. "Who would be doing his bidding then?" James queried.

Lily said nothing but just titled her head in the direction of the Slytherin students. James and Remus looked back at the table; they did't need to look long to figure out whom she meant.

James raised an eyebrow. "You really think that?" he asked doubtfully.

"Why wouldn't I?" She asked defensively.

"We are looking at the same lot, right?" James took off his glasses, fogged them a bit, and wiped them. The other two gazed at him boringly as he looked back at the Slytherins at the same table. "I reckon that's Mulciber, Avery, Parkinson, Rosier, oh, and yes, I do believe that's Snape," he finished.

"Sod off," Lily groaned.

The Slytherin lot noticed James' obvious staring, and their whispers dimmed. Mulciber popped his head up and asked, "Got a problem, Potter?"

"No, no," James said dismissively as if he were speaking to a servant. "Just taking a peak at the views. Nothing special to see."

Lily and Remus rolled their eyes at James' cocksure attitude that never seemed to fade, despite the gravity of the situation.

"Oh, sure," laughed Avery, "says you. Look at your company, Potter."

Remus scoffed and continued scribbling down notes on his parchment, while Lily glared long and hard. She wasn't focused on Avery, but on the silent Snape. It felt like the beginning of their fifth year all over again. Lily would be teased and mocked by Slytherin students, while Snape would pretend not to hear. She grounded her teeth in frustration.

 _He isn't going to change,_ Lily's superego reminded her rationally as she stared at the back of her former friend's head. _He doesn't even have the courtesy to look you in the eye._

"At least my company has moral character," scoffed James. "I mean, look at you lot. You got Mulciber practically on a leash like a hound; Rosier looks like he needs to go to the loony ward at St. Mugno's; Parkinson resembles a duller version of Slughorn with that incoming potbelly; and Snape, well, that speaks for itself."

Severus turned his head slowly to face James. He narrowed his dark eyes and moved a few strands of hair from his face. "At least, we are all worthy to sit in the seats that we are in," he countered coolly. His eyes flickered towards Lily, causing the ginger to lock her jaw.

Lily held back the wind-up punch that she wanted to utilize on Snape's throat. She instead cleared her throat and shrugged, feigning indifference, "Yes," she agreed, "and at least, we aren't on our way to join some sadistic terrorist group and loose our moral worth. Not that you lot had much to begin with."

Remus and James eyed Lily carefully, impressed by her gall. They had always known she had it, but neither one had seen it used against Snape. For the past five years prior to this one, the gall had only been reserved for those who would tease and make fun of Snape. It felt strange to be on the same side of that gall.

"Well," James said as he clapped his hands together, facing back towards the Slytherin group, "there you have it. Why don't you unsettling lot finish whatever sinister business you have going on, eh? Like drowning kittens."

"One day, you'll regret the decisions you made in this school, Potter," Parkinson said in an uncomfortably chipper voice. He stacked his papers on top of one another and motioned to his cohorts. "Let's go. I feel a bit of his traitor influence wafting this way."

James let out a loud, almost embarrassed laugh. The bloke consistently demanded having the last word, especially around Lily. (This time, however, he would never admit it was because of her.) "You want a waft, Parkinson?" James challenged confidently. He was about to pull out his wand, but was halted by a swift kick to the shin. " _Fuck!"_ He whispered softly before glaring at Lily.

Lily, however, was staring at the Slytherins departure. She scrutinized them like the way she did her notes: purposefully and intensely. "Look how Snape is walking," she murmured after a moment.

James and Remus directed their attention to Snape. At first, they noticed nothing but after several more steps, the two noticed a slight hobble in Snape's step. He was more grounded on his right than his left.

"He looks hurt," Remus observed.

Lily nodded in agreement. "Or like he was attacked."

James paused for a moment because this couldn't be right. Was Lily actually thinking of the… unthinkable. "You really think that Snape and them are after Nagut's child?" James asked, still unsure.

Lily turned back to James, and he immediately swallowed his breath; he hated these moments. The moments where she'd stare into his eyes and practically suck the soul out of him with just a glance. He sat a little straighter as she asked, "Why are you doubting me?"

"I'm not doubting you," James insisted.

"Yes, you are."

"No, I'm not."

"Yes."

"No-"

"Okay, stop that," Remus demanded lowly. He took a short breath before saying to Lily, "It's hard for us to wrap our heads around it."

"Around what?" Lily asked curiously.

"Around the fact that you actually do _think_ that Snape might be a part of the Nagut plan," Remus explained as if it were obvious. He noted the surprised, yet embarrassed expression on his friend's face. "For years, we were used to seeing you defend Snape. It's just a bit peculiar to see you accusing him of something, and something so big."

Lily sighed as she looked back out towards the exit. They could no longer see the Slytherins, but she sure could feel them. "He's changed so much," she said in flat voice. "It took me a long time to see that, I admit. But it all makes so much sense. Voldemort would be using students to conduct his business around the school, and which house has the most Death Eater followers?" Even though Lily knew she was right, she didn't look happy about it. "I mean, fuck, look at poor Henley. She spent all night I heard by Cresswell's body."

James and Remus turned their heads to see a red-eyed Camilla Henley. Her eyes were puffy, and her hair was a bit frazzled; all of these attributes were extremely unlike Camilla. She bit her nails frantically as she collected her notebooks to stuff in her bag.

Before James really knew what the hell was doing, he found himself on his feet following her. "I'll see you guys later," he said as he grabbed his book bag.

Lily and Remus just watched, trying to figure out what he was doing at first. It didn't take long to realize that he intended to follow her.

Remus noticed the neutral expression on Lily's face. Neutral barely flickered across Lily's face because the girl was filled with passion and life. She had an opinion about everything and was definitely not afraid to share it. Maybe except now.

"He fancies her?" Lily asked without looking at him.

"Uh…" Remus rubbed the back of his neck and told the truth, "He isn't _not_ into her."

A weak smile lifted the corner of Lily's mouth. She turned to Remus and said, "As long as he's happy, right?"

Remus opened his mouth to ask Lily what the fuck she meant by that, but chose after a moment of internal deliberation not to say anything. He simply nodded his head and repeated, "as long as he's happy."

Out in the first floor corridor, James ran to catch up to Camilla. "Oy, Camilla," he called out as he placed a hand on her delicate shoulder. She stopped and turned around; tears were forming.

"Oh, fuck, not you," she moaned as she wiped her eyes with the backs of her hand.

"Awe, come on, I'm not that terrible," laughed James as he put his hands in his pockets, nervously clenching his snitch.

Camilla actually giggled a bit. "No," she agreed, "you're not." She cleared her throat before looking up at him. "I just prefer if you didn't see me in this state."

"What state?"

"Oh, my eyes red as Rudolph's nose, and my hair looks like a troll's-"

"Camilla," James said in a stern voice, causing her to stop her rambling, "you look fine, I swear. Especially considering the fact that I heard you stayed up all night in the Hospital Wing."

Camilla opened her mouth but hesitated. "How did you know that?"

James shrugged, "Birdie told me."

She gave him a curious look, but said nothing. James took her to the side of the corridor, not wanting to block anyone during class transitions. "Either way, are you okay?"

"I'm not the one who was attacked," she said breathlessly, her voice breaking towards the end. It was still hard to say the truth about the event; it scared her.

"No one wants to know that their friend is targeted," James comforted. "It can still be… traumatic to see someone like that."

"I just hope he wakes up soon," she said as she looked away. "It's the waiting, you know? Madam Pomfrey doesn't know when he's going to wake up, or even if he's going to wake up. I want something to at least look fucking forward too. I'm… I'm…" She had so much to say, but her words couldn't come out.

"Scared?" James offered. Camilla bit her lip and nodded quickly. She was doing her best to hold back some tears. "If there is anything I can do, let me know?"

Camilla looked down at her feet and asked sheepishly, "Are we still meeting at two tomorrow?"

James looked taken back. After all she had been through, James thought that Camilla would surely been uninterested in discussing aerial sports with him in Hogsmeade.

"I could use the distraction," Camilla said earnestly as her eyes peered up at him slowly. "I'll still treat you."

James leaned against the wall and said in a calm voice, "if that's what you actually want to do."

Camilla nodded her head. "I'm only Human, Potter," she said as she turned away. "I need some… happiness every now and then too."

James watched as she walked into the Transfiguration classroom at the end of the hall. She stopped before going in completely and looked back at him as she held the door. She waved, and he returned one. Despite still looking like she was about to cry, James couldn't help but think that she actually looked rather beautiful right then and there.

* * *

 _A/N - And another one! Thank you for the all positive response; I hope you enjoyed these tiny Hogwarts interactions! This was a much more lowkey chapter, but still important. I hope you enjoyed. Please don't forget to follow, favorite, or review if you liked it. I'll try to get another one up this week!_

 _XOXO,_

 _Rose_


	12. Chapter 12

**January 22** **nd** **, 1977**

Dorcas Meadowes never received mail, and that's how she preferred it. She didn't smile when her owl would come during mealtimes like the other students and didn't share the news with her friends. Most times, besides receiving her subscription of the Quibbler, the letters were from the Meadowes' family lawyers or receptionists. And on rare occasions they'd be from her father. Those she often read several times before throwing them into a fire and never thinking about them again. Mail just promoted negativity for her.

So, Dorcas did expect a letter from Mr. Finn, Miss Temple, or even Mr. Gregory Meadowes himself when she received a notice from the Owlery. She didn't anticipate it to be anyone else.

"Fuck me," she whispered with a cough in the cold air. The letter had a fancy seal and was from a Miss Emma Vanity. It had been nearly a month since they had seen each other, and they hadn't corresponded at all.

Dorcas stared at the letter for a long time before even opening the envelope. She scoffed at the fancy ink-seal enclosing the letter before tearing it off. She pulled out the letter, on specialized stationary parchment, and unfolded it.

 _Dear Dorcas,_

 _Saying I told you so would not be the best way to start this letter, but it has to be said. I told you so._

Dorcas looked up from it and rubbed her eyes. She may have cursed Emma for her accuracy, but a part of Dorcas was just happy to see her old friend's handwriting.

 _I heard about the Dirk Cresswell accident a few nights back, and I felt the need to reach out to you. I said it while we were in school, but please be careful, Dorcas. Cresswell was just as much of a muggle-born as you are. Whoever did that to him may also be after you. It also seems that scaring students isn't the only objective, but actual physical harm. Or death even._

 _I know that you can use whatever mind tricks you use to keep yourself guarded, but still. You need to be vigilant. I'm lucky to be out of those walls because I can protect myself inside of walls I've created for my own livelihood. You should do the same._

 _Chances are you won't listen to me because you have your chin so high in the air that you may as well be Jack and the Bloody Beanstalk. But, I worry for you._

 _Now, onto something fun!_

 _I am to be married in the Spring!_

Dorcas felt the need to vomit come and go.

 _Carl proposed by the seaside, and it was absolutely marvelous. Until he began hacking blood again, but it's something I can live with. The ring is nearly the size of my face, a pure diamond cut too! And Dorcas, I really want you to be there. We are choosing a date as I write this, so expect another letter from me soon! I expect you also to be at my Bachelorette's Party! Hopefully, Dumbledore will let you and a plus-one come out for such an event! Yes, you do need a date. This not a fucking debate, Dorcas. Got it?_

 _I miss you, Friend._

 _Take Care,_

 _Emma_

Dorcas read through the letter a few more times before finally setting it down beside her. She couldn't believe that her friend would be marrying within the year to a man nearly three times her age. She also couldn't believe that Emma had heard about the Cresswell incident.

The Magical World was on high alert then. Every piece of news seemed like a piece to a never-ending tragedy, and Dorcas couldn't stand it. It was already bad that her mind felt like mush, and she could barely sleep without waking her roommates in the middle of the night, screaming bloody murder. The outside world was hardly the place to escape to.

Everything felt more out of place than it usually did. And for that to happen to a girl with as much baggage as Dorcas Meadowes meant that shit was really hitting the fan.

* * *

"No!" Lily Evans cried indignantly. "Are you bloody mental, Marlene? We might as well throw our education away with that plan."

"Ugh, you're no fun sometimes, you know that, right?" grumbled Marlene McKinnon. She flipped her blond curls out of her face as she snuggled further into her jacket, bracing the winter wind.

Lily, Marlene, Emmeline, and Mary were walking together towards Hogsmeade. It was the first Hogsmeade trip since the start of the new term, and the girls were getting a bit stir crazy within the castle walls. Things were getting so hectic at the school that the Professors encouraged the students to leave.

"I'm perfectly comfortable being no fun," Lily shot back, "especially since in this case, it means no expulsions."

"But it's your seventeenth," Mary said as she gave her friend a nudge in the side. "A witch only turns seventeen once."

"I don't need a bubble-bath themed birthday party," insisted Lily.

"Everyone needs a bubble-bath themed birthday," Emmeline countered with a shrug. She ignored the crossed look on Lily's face.

The girls crossed to the bridge into the Hogsmeade village and headed straight for the Three Broomsticks. Inside the pub, it was warm and smelled like vanilla and rain. A few villagers were in and a few groups of Hogwarts students. The girls found a nice corner by the fire and sat close together.

"Hello, Ladies," said Madam Rosemerta, the owner. She was young and rather attractive; the group remembered her when she was at Hogwarts too. "What can I get ya?"

"Green Tea, please," said Emmeline.

"A Butterbeer for me," Mary said, already eyeing the next table's warm drink.

Madam Rosmerta repeated the Hufflepuffs' orders and then looked to the Gryffindors. "And you two?" She added.

"Firewhiskey," Marlene smiled brightly, batting her eyelashes.

Madam Rosemerta raised an amused brow. "It's not even three n the afternoon, McKinnon," she said coolly.

"The perks to being legal while in pursuing academia," shrugged Marlene. "Could you perhaps bring us two cups?"

"Don't push it, McKinnon."

"You would totally give James two cups, and Peter doesn't even look like his sac dropped yet."

The others, including Rosemerta, grimaced at the thought of Peter's reproductive organs.

"I would not," Rosemerta said shortly. "And I don't to give you another either. I'd rather break my own wand than be on Dumbledore's bad said. What would you really like, Evans?"

"Just some coffee," Lily smiled.

"A reasonable afternoon answer," Rosemerta nodded approvingly. She rolled her eyes at Marlene before The turning away and headed back behind the bar.

Marlene made a face behind Rosemerta's back and said to Lily, "I'll give you some anyway."

Lily shook her hand. "I'm good, thanks."

The blond rolled her eyes. "I'm prepping you for bubbles and booze. You have to stick to the training."

"No bubbles on my birthday," the redhead said firmly.

"Are you saying no because you _actually_ don't want to have a spectacular birthday involving shirtless blokes, a plethora of alcohol, and bubbles," Marlene asked, trying out her diplomatic voice, " _or_ are you saying no because you think we'll get in trouble?"

Lily remained silent as her friends eyed her. She imagined hoards of students in their respective swimwear, prancing around like drunken mermaids. Her stomach churned at the thought of their spot being used in such a way.

"I don't want to do it there," she said, looking down at her hands.

The girls paused for a moment and exchanged glances. "Oh, why?" Mary asked.

"Well, er," Lily said, not quite sure how to explain her feelings. "It's just that I don't really want people coming up to our spot, you know? It'll feel invasive, and people will be coming up all the time if they know how nice it is. Maybe I'm just selfish."

"Awe, you're not selfish, Lily," laughed Mary. "I think it's rather sweet. You care!" She poked her friends arm gently with a bright grin on her face.

Lily blushed sheepishly as Marlene and Emmeline joined the laughter. "Wait, so you're not opposed to the bubble-themed idea?" The blond asked mischievously.

There was a moment of hesitation before Lily said yes, causing the three girls to scream in delight. A few students watched as they hugged Lily tightly.

"Okay, okay, get off," Lily laughed as she shoved her friends off. "You think one of the other bathrooms would work?"

"The only other one with a bath as large is in the dungeon," Emmeline explained. "And it's always crawling with Slytherins. I don't know if you want students like Talkalot and Avery at your celebration."

Lily nodded her head. "Yeah, I'm good without them. I don't want it too big in general," she said as she gave Marlene a glare. "Seriously."

"Speaking of Sirius things," Mary pipped up. "Are you going to invite the Marauders?"

Lily's eyes widened. She hated her vivid imagination as it showed her scenarios of the four blokes running around in their knickers amongst the rest of their friends. It would naturally be a disaster - James Potter would do something irritable because that's what he always does.

 _Nothing particularly irritable recently,_ a quiet voice in her head reminded her.

And it was true. Lily recognized that she and James had been getting along rather decently the past few weeks. They'd sit together during meals, speak to each other before classes, and even share a few laughs. Of course they'd bicker; for Agrippa's sake, he was James Potter, and she was Lily Evans. It might as well have been in their blood and could be rather fun at times.

"Better question," Marlene said interrupting Lily's thought process. "Greyson?"

"Naturally," Lily said.

"Well, if you're inviting boys, why not the Marauders?" Marlene suggested. "And Dearborn for our Virgin Mary," she added, poking at Mary's cheeks.

"Oh, bugger off," Mary hissed, slapping the blond's hands away. She looked to Lily as she defended herself against Marlene's finger invasion. "Are you going to invite Dearborn?" She asked quickly, her cheeks turning bright pink.

Lily smirked as she gave her friend an appraising glance. "If you want me to."

Mary couldn't contain herself as the corners of her mouth from curling upward. It spoke for itself. Lily knew that her friend had a crush on the Hufflepuff prefect since their fourth year, and she chose a wonderful option. Caradoc Dearborn was the definition of tall, dark, and handsome. Lily was unsure of his ethnic background, but he had caramel skin, large dark eyes, and an incredible smile. He was a bright and kind student who had always treated everyone with respect. He introduced her to Connor too.

"Well, that answers that. Dearborn is definitely coming," Lily said as Mary kept smiling to herself. "That does leave the question of how we are going to make this co-ed," she added tiredly.

"The boys bathrooms are accessible to girls too," a deep voice revealed.

The girls looked up to see James Potter standing above them with their drinks. "How do you reckon that?" asked Marlene.

James scoffed as he passed them their drinks. "Ah, you really wanna hear all the randy details, Marls? It involves one of the girls you sleep next to at night-"

Emmeline and Mary exchanged glances as Marlene grimaced. "Oh, no thank you," insisted Lily as she reached out for coffee. "I don't need the visuals."

James chuckled as he bent down in a squat. He leaned his arms on the edge of the table and rested his chin on them. "You'd be ever so blessed, Evans."

"You wish, Potter."

"Of course. Right along with my nightly prayers."

Lily scoffed at the thought of James kneeling beside his bed with his hands pressed together, talking to God. "What is it you were saying about the boys' bathroom?" She asked, trying to switch gears.

"Girls can enter the boys' bathroom," James said, "it's like the dormitories. Boys slid out of the girls' bathroom, and girls can waltz into ours. Wait, you two never been in?" He asked, pointing to his cousin and Emmeline. "I mean, Cousin, you've had many… friends, of sorts… and I know that you haven't been just holding hands with Vance for the past year now, Kim."

"Some people don't think entirely with their reproductive organs," Emmeline countered.

"You telling me you haven't shagged Vance?" scoffed James.

"No," Emmeline countered, "I'm telling you it's not your business."

James put his hands up defensively and nodded, "Fair, fair." He cleared his throat before saying, "For whatever you ladies are up to, there is a bathroom on the seventh floor for the boys that has a beautiful fountain of a pool. Ah, you should the urinals."

"Charming," Marlene murmured. "Do we need to come in with a boy, or can we walk right in? Like with the dorms?"

"Walk right in," James shrugged. "Planning an orgy? Am I invited?"

The girls all verbalized their displeasure at the thought of an orgy in Hogwarts. Chances are it has already happened in one of the castle nooks, but no one really needed an image to go along with it.

"We're planning Lily's seventeenth," Marlene explained proudly. "Bubble-bath themed too."

James smiled mischievously and looked to Evans. He had an excited look on his face, making Lily want to smack him for it. His words surprised her though. "You thought of this little theme?"

"No," laughed Lily. "It was your cousin's."

"Aren't I spectacular?" Marlene sighed as she flipped her curls out of her face.

"More like perverted," Mary countered.

Marlene punched Mary in the shoulder. "Oh, come on, Marls," laughed Mary, "you would be the one to concoct this plan. You're the Gatsby of the school."

Marlene pursed her lips. "I do like the sound of that."

James watched as the four girls laughed together and joined them. "I could help you with the party, if you want?" He offered to Lily once their laughter died down a little.

The ginger gave James a doubtful look. "No offense, Potter, but we have Gatsby here to do her favorite thing," Lily noted. "Why would I need your help?"

James cleared his throat and stood up. "Well, you need someone to first clear out the boy's bathroom for you. I don't know how long you'd need to set-up, but I don't reckon you want to run any cocks, do you?"

Marlene took a deep breath in and let it out very slowly. "I never want to heat you use that word again," she whispered slowly as if recovering from a punch to the gut. If she weren't so traumatized herself, Marlene would've noticed Lily's cheeks flush.

"Either way, it's true, right?" James continued. "Also, I'm a terrific party planner. I could be a… a handler."

"A handler?" Lily asked, recovering from the audible shock. "What do you mean by that?"

"A witch only turns seventeen once," he smirked. His hazel eyes even smiled at her too.

"See?!" Mary exclaimed. "That's what I said too, Potter. Lily just doesn't listen to people with specks it seems."

Without even taking his eyes of Lily, James agreed, "Seems that way."

Lily rolled her eyes and had a clever retort that would put James back on his knees, but she was interrupted by someone calling out to her target.

"Potter?"

The Gryffindors and the Hufflepuffs looked back to see Camilla Henley approaching. Lily noticed how well-put together Camilla looked, especially considering the last couple of days. Her eyes were still a bit puffy, but she put in effort to appear… her usual self. She wore a long trench coat, an olive baret, and soft pink lipstick. Lily's eyes darted between James and Camilla.

"Hi, Henley," James smiled as he turned to her. "I was just waiting for you and ran into my cousin and her friends in the process."

"I see," Camilla said in a quiet voice. She gave them a small smile and waved, "Afternoon."

James turned back to the four girls, who were sipping their drinks together. They all peered up at him with knowing eyes. "Enjoy your drinks," he said, giving the girls a final nod. He turned to walk away, but returned immediately after Lily called out for him. He looked at her, and it happened again.

Lily did that thing to him where she just looks at him - directly into his pupils - and nearly electrocutes him with her intensity. "I accept," she said in a serene voice.

"Accept what?" James asked quietly, trying to keep his voice from cracking.

"You as my handler for the party," Lily finished quickly. "But, we can talk later or something. You should go with Henley."

"You won't be let down," James said as he turned around, trying not to look back at her. But forward to Camilla who was waiting patiently for him. "Sorry about that," He said to Camilla.

"It's okay," Camilla smiled. "Where would you like to sit?"

James shrugged and motioned towards a round table further in the back. The two walked over to the corner, and James played the part of the perfect gentleman as he pulled out the seat for Camilla. He relished the small blush that spread across her cheeks, but was quickly distracted. His cousin and her friends peaked over the top of their booth, but once James noticed, they all snapped their heads away. His smile continued to grow, delighted by the thought of Evans sneaking glances at him.

He shouldn't be though, because he was so over Lily Evans.

"I'll get us some drinks," James offered, returning to his role as gentleman. "What would you like?"

"Oh, hot chocolate, please," she smiled, She reached into her coat pocket and pulled out a few sickles. "Here. I did say I would treat you for doing this."

James put up his hand. "I got this," he said, backing away. He smirked when Camilla's expression changed from hesitant to amused.

"Thanks."

James nodded politely before ordering their drinks with Madam Rosemerta. "Mind spiking mine with some fire whiskey?" he asked as he leaned over the counter top a bit.

Rosemerta snorted without looking at the Gryffindor. She pushed him off her counter and said, "Not a chance, Potter. You're almost at seventeen, you can wait."

"Awe, come on," crooned James, "Rosie, I got a date."

Her face hardened and looked up at the boy. "Are you asking me to spike a drink, Potter?" She asked in accusatory tone. "You're better than that-"

"Whoa, whoa," James said quickly, "I'd never spike a bird's drink! Merlin, Rosie, who do you think I am?"

Rosemerta raised her eyebrows. "Good, I would hope not," She said in a final tone.

"It's for me," James continued cautiously, still rather offended. "A bit of liquid courage never hurt anyone."

She peered over to Camilla and then back at James. "You dating Henley now, ay?" She asked curiously, charming the teacup to fetch its hot chocolate. "I thought you had a thing for Evans."

James shrugged, "We're just friends."

Rosemerta scoffed as she poured James' tea. "Sure," she said, clearly unconvinced. She passed the two cups to James and patted his hand lightly. "Believe that as much as you'd like, Potter."

"The Hell does that mean?" he asked, gaping at the pub owner as she walked away.

The pubowner waved him off as she tended to another customer, rendering the conversation over. James had to admit the former Hogwarts student was bloody hot, but she was a confusing witch. He hoped that it was just her temperament, not the progression of female maturity. He couldn't take anymore confusion from Hogwarts girls. He walked away in defeat as he brought the cups over to his table with Camilla, trying his best not to consider Rosie's words.

"Thank you," Camilla said as she took her teacup gently out of his hands. She rested it on the table and pulled out her notebook and quill. She tapped it lightly with her wand, causing it come to life. "Ready when you are."

James sat down across from her, crossing his legs. He took a quick sip of his tea before clarifying, "You want me to talk about women in Quidditch? That's pretty broad." He chuckled a bit at the end.

Camilla's laugh was soft, like a wind chime. "Yes, I suppose it is. I'm interested more specifically at females playing Quidditch at Hogwarts. You know, it's only been recently that girls have been accepted onto team's. There were a few here and there, but these past five years has had more female players than there have ever been."

"Yeah, my dad told me that," James commented. "When he attended Hogwarts, there were only two female Quidditch players in the whole school."

"What year was that?"

"Hm… he graduated in 1928?" James murmured, unsure. He actually felt a pang of embarrassment that he didn't know his father's graduation year. He looked through his father's yearbooks some many times as a kid; he should've know that.

"Wow," Camilla whispered, "You're father is rather, er,…"

"Old?" James smirked.

Camilla blushed again and nodded, "Yeah. I didn't want to say it."

"My parents didn't expect to have me. My mum was considered infertile, and she had incredible potion skills. She did fertility potion after fertility potion, but nothing worked for years. They got lucky one night, I guess," James explained. A gentle smile appeared on his lips that Camilla had never seen before. "They called me their miracle child for a while."

Camilla laughed. She tucked a strand of hair behind her ear and looked up at him. She wagged her eyebrows and revealed, "You know, my parents called me that too."

"Really?"

"Yep. I was born so early that the doctors - you know, muggle Healers - thought I wouldn't be able to survive life… outside, in the world?" She explained. James watched her closely as he leaned back in his chair a little. "I couldn't breathe on my own; my lungs were too underdeveloped. They said I wouldn't be able to last six weeks."

James' eyes followed Camilla's as hers looked down at teacup. She circled the cup with the tip of her index finger. "But, after three days of life, the doctors said my lungs developed drastically. They began to grow to their appropriate size," she continued before looking up, with a smile, "like magic."

"Like a miracle," James nodded with a smile. He put up his cup for a toast and motioned for Camilla to join him. "To miracle babies?"

Camilla laughed, and James had to admit that the girl had an infectious and adorable one. "To miracle babies," she agreed as she lifted her own cup. They clinked them together before taking a warm swig. "I'll have to do my fair share of editing with these notes," Camilla commented as she peered at her charmed quil, jotting notes at a rapid pace.

"Yes, yes," James said as he rested his cup down. "I have a tendency to make things about myself."

"At least you're interesting."

"Please don't inflate my ego further. My head can only get so big."

Camilla shrugged and then leaned back. "Talk to me about your thoughts on some of the female Quidditch players? About their skill?"

"I can only speak for Gryffindor House," James said honestly, "and our female players are fantastic. I mean, Winchester is one of the fastest flyers I've ever seen; Tanaka could probably dodge a killing curse; and we both know that Hestia has the eye of a Hippogriff. I urge female students to try out more; I urge anyone to try out for Quidditch. Good players are good players."

"Black and white sort of guy?" Camilla asked. "Off the record, of course."

"It's easier that way," James replied indifferently.

She told the quill to scratch out that last part before returning back to the topic at hand. "Hestia is a powerhouse," she agreed. "But you may be biased for the sake of Gryffindor pride. Are there are any female players that have caught your eye? Anyone you would want one your team?"

"Sure," James answered enthusiastically. "Bloody Hell, I mean you've seen Dorcas Meadowes in action. She's a talent."

Camilla raised an eyebrow because no one ever really mentions Dorcas Meadowes. Sure, the sixth year Slytherin was stunning and mysterious, but she was also a bit creepy and eerie. "How so?" Camilla asked trying to hide her peaked interest.

"First of all," James leaned in, as if telling a secret, "not just anyone can do the job of beater. You need to be strong, a lot of upper arm strength."

"Is it surprising that a girl has upper arm strength?" She challenged.

"Certainly not," he countered, "I've seen her right hook used on my best mate. It was not pretty." They both chuckled a bit as their minds flashed back to last term, during the Gryffindor/Slyhterin game. In the stands, Camilla could swear she heard Black's jaw bone break.

"I remember that."

"If she were in Gryffindor, I'd pick her over Sirius," James laughed jokingly. "But seriously, Meadowes isn't just strong. She's also vigilant." She waited for James to continue, interested where he was going to go with this. "I go to every Quidditch game, even if it's not Gryffindor's, to observe tactics and whatnot. I've seen her during every game; her focus is remarkable. She can almost sense the movements of the other players, maybe even the ball."

"Meadowes is a bit… _off,_ don't you think?" Camilla asked after a moment.

"I think she's a rather brilliant player," James shrugged.

Camilla ground her teeth a bit before telling her quill to scratch her last question, doubting Dorcas Meadowes' character.

Dorcas stood outside of Dogweed and Death, the local herb store, with a cigarette dangling off her lips. She had her hands pressed into her pockets and pulled out her list. She needed more ingredients for a stronger sleeping potion; she was just missing something. What she would do for seven hours of uninterrupted sleep? No nightmares, no cold sweats, and no fucking staring at her bedpost for hours and hours.

It was a bit strange, and downright creepy for Dorcas to do this, but when she stayed up late at night, waiting for sleep to take her, she'd listen to her dorm mates' dreams. And those weren't particularly friendly. She'd sometimes hear of their blood supremacist ideologies laced into their dream content. She constantly felt nauseous listening, but for some reason, that was better than her own dreams.

Dorcas' dreams concocted some nasty shite that she prefers to repress the moment her eyelids open up. Some of it lingers within the day - the hissing, the breath on her neck, and the loud cackling - it made everything feel predatory. Someone was constantly following her. She's always been paranoid, but recently it's been off the charts. She despised this powerless feeling inside of her, churning at every moment.

She felt it now. That follower feeling.

 _Dorcas_.

Her head snapped up. The voice was clear this time, more clear than ever before. She reached into her pocket and grabbed her wand desperately. She scanned her surroundings calmly, but everything seemed rather normal.

 _Dorcas._

Dorcas shivered, and it wasn't due to the chilly temperatures. The voice was different this time. She didn't like how tranquil and casual the voice sounded when calling her name. No one around was looking at her even. She saw a few students and locals meandering about, but nothing out of the usual. It looked so simple until she saw Remus Lupin leaning against the side of the building. Her eyes widened into saucers as he gave her a cordial wave.

 _Hi, Dorcas._

Dorcas' jaw clenched, but released her grasp on the wand. She glared at him, fixing her icy gaze onto him. He gave her a weak smile before adding mentally, _I hope you're too not mad. I don't know how often you let people contact to you like this._

Dorcas scoffed as she rubbed her forehead. No one had ever known of her telepathic abilities before, besides her Professors, and it made her feel violated. She chucked her cigarette and said in a blunt voice, "It's weirder if we just stare at each other?"

Remus smirked to himself before approaching Dorcas. She waited for him to approach her, and they were just centimeters apart when she finally asked, "What do you want, Remus?"

"I just wanted to make sure that you were okay," Remus said in a honest voice. "You've barely been showing up to classes, and truthfully, you look like a drug-addict or a zombie the times you do."

"Didn't Sirius tell you? Didn't you send Sirius to talk to me?" She countered hotly, crossing her arms over her chest.

"Firstly," Remus retorted coolly, "I did not send Sirius out to talk to you; he did that on his own. And secondly, I wanted to see for myself."

This caught the Slytherin off-guard, and the Gryffindor continued to surprise her. He stepped even closer to her; it seemed like that a magazine would be able to sick between them if they tried. He lifted her chin slightly, and for a moment, Dorcas wanted to smack herself for letting him come so close to her. She, however, could not deny the pleasant sensation his calloused fingers felt against her soft skin.

"You're not well, Dorcas," he whispered softly.

 _Enough of that,_ Dorcas' reasoning insisted. Dorcas gulped as she took a step back from his touch. "I'll be fine," she said firmly. "I always am. I'm more interested as to why you are so concerned with me anyway?"

Remus shifted his jaw left and right for a moment. He had an answer, but it wasn't a good one. So he just said nothing and looked at her, hoping that she would read his mind. And for once, she did.

 _I want you to be safe._

"Why?" Dorcas asked in an accusatory tone. "What? Is it if I'm not safe, then you must be thinking that your secret isn't safe too?"

"Merlin, no!" Remus snapped. "It's just… well… it's just what?"

"What, Remus?" She asked impatiently.

He rubbed his temples, trying to calm his heart rate down. How did this conversation become so heightened so quickly? "For fuck's sake, you're a bloody ligilmens!" Remus spat. "Just fucking _listen_ to me."

Dorcas gave Remus an appraising look, and right before she took down her mental wall, she stopped herself. She didn't need to know the actual thought process of Remus' mind because Dorcas already figured it out. Just by the look on his scarred face - the locked jaw, frustrated glare, and furrowed brow. She bit her lip and just stared back for a moment.

"Well," Remus asked, tapping his foot, "did you?"

Dorcas tapped her toes against the crunchy snow and looked down. "Don't have to," she murmured quietly.

He gave her a look of disbelief. "Oh, really?"

"Really."

"Then what did I think?"

She looked up at Remus and stared into his eyes. "You care about me," she said in a soft, yet clear voice.

Remus noted the solemn look on her face. "Why is that such a bad thing to you?"

"I slept with Sirius," Dorcas said in a slow tone, as if it were obvious.

"I am aware…"

Dorcas grimaced. "Is that like a thing you Marauders do? Hop from bird-to-bird?"

Remus scoffed and wiped a hand over his mouth in disbelief. "I'm not talking about sleeping with you," he admitted after a long moment.

Pause.

"Oh." Dorcas felt her stomach drop. She would rather be sleeping and dealing with her nightmares right about now, instead of looking at Remus in the eyes.

Remus chuckled and licked his lips. "Wanna take that peak into my mind now?"

She said nothing as she peered her eyes slowly up into his. She took a deep breath before she dropped her mental wall. The wall kept people's mental voices muddled, like white noise. Dropping it meant letting a lot of things in: experiences, secrets, and plain old stuff that just wasn't her business. Here goes nothing.

Remus' mind was naturally harder to read than most, especially in comparison to those who he surrounded himself with. Potter wore his heart on his sleeve; Sirius hid his problems through denial and sarcasm; and Pettigrew's anxiety kept his mind in a constant state of alert. Remus' mind, on the other hand, developed since she last listened to it so intensely. The last time was in her third year, while she was still learning how to block out the voices. His mind was once nervous and paranoid; intense emotions like that made the mind easier to read. Now, it was muddled and cloudy. He hid his experiences and secrets with uncertainty; Remus was so unsure of his own memories that Dorcas could barely grasp them. However, she could see the one thing he wanted her to.

It was them talking during New year's, just talking. It was his memory of it, and even though she could sense Remus' initial fear knowing that someone else was aware of his lycanthropy, he also felt a sense of comfort.

And only because it was Dorcas. Experiencing that conversation through Remus this time unnerved her. She could feel his heart racing as they talked, and her focus followed his eyes as he eyed her that night. But, no, the 'hyper-awareness' was just a latent feeling. The real emotion that he felt was… comfort and camaraderie. It was the same feeling, in a lesser degree, that Remus felt for the rest of the Marauders, Marlene McKinnon, and Lily Evans.

"I view you as a friend, Dorcas," Remus said in a gentle voice. "And for someone else with just as big of a secret to hide, I know that it may be good for you too."

Dorcas eyed Remus carefully but said nothing. She could read that Remus meant his words. "All of a sudden felt this need tor reach out to me?" She asked, trying to evade replying immediately.

"That's a two-way street, Meadowes," Remus countered coolly. "You've been avoiding the classes recently. You're a hard bird to catch ahold of."

Dorcas chuckled as she let the mental wall re-stack itself gently, but efficiently. She looked at the boy before her and said, "Friends have never been a strong suit of mine."

"Me neither," Remus revealed nonchalantly.

The two smiled at each other awkwardly. Remus shifted his weight back and forth on his feet slightly before posting to the entrance of the Herb store in front of them. "Well, this could be an ample opportunity to try and start. You're going in here?"

Dorcas nodded. "I need to alter my sleeping potion," she explained sheepishly.

"I could join you?" Remus tried. The awkwardness was inevitable at this point, and he decided to just roll with it.

Dorcas didn't really know what to say, because she had never really done this before. And Emma Vanity was not a shinning example for friendship beginnings. She bit her lip before shrugging, "Okay."

Remus smiled brightly, taking a moment to appreciate the slight win. He opened the door for her and took a little bow.

"Bloody Hell, Lupin," chuckled Dorcas, "I'm socially awkward, not a fucking hermit." She walked past him and past the threshold. "I can hold my own door."

"Just trying to lighten the mood," Remus reassured as he followed her inside. He didn't know why he sounded so confident and so pleased to be making friends with the one person who could destroy him in several different ways. But, it felt like the best thing that had happened to him, in a long time.

* * *

 _A/N - Here you go, friends! I hope you are enjoying the development so far. Thank you for all the encouraging support and comments. It means so much!_

 _Rose_


	13. Chapter 13

**January 28** **th** **, 1977**

Marlene McKinnon prided herself on the fact that she was an acute listener. It came with all the musical training she had accumulated in her short life. She studied violin in Vienna; vocal lessons in America and France; and piano lessons by a number of famous mentors. Right now, however, she was not listening at all. She was doing all the talking.

The blond Gryffindor strutted down a Hogwarts' hallway with a crew at her side. She had a look of an Olympian: determined with absolute tunnel vision towards . "All right, so remember, Mary, no yellow," she reminded, "Lily hates yellow. She thinks it makes her skin look paler than it already is."

Mary MacDonald took down the note with her quil and pushed the rim of her glasses. "Like that's even possible," the small Hufflepuff scoffed as she veered off from the group.

"Emmeline, you are in charge of security. I already asked Damian Gordon and Ash Cattermole to help out, but you've got the _eye_ for that sort-of stuff." Marlene gave her friend a wink.

Emmeline Kim chewed on her lower lip. She was about to ask for a new job since she did not feel confident in her current placement. Her _eye_ for security was foggy recently, and the Hufflepuff did not want to be the one to blame if Lily Evan's Birthday Bubble Bash failed miserably. However, she remained quiet, knowing that she would ruin Marlene's well-organized (for once) plans, and followed Mary down the stairs.

"Prewett Twins?" Marlene called for.

"Yes, Madam Pain-in-the-Arse?" Fabian Prewett said through a forced smile.

Marlene shot him a glare. "Don't mess with me, Fabian. I'm in a mood."

"At least you're cognizant of it," Gideon added cheerfully, ignoring the glares from the others.

"You twins are in charge of invitations," she informed. Their smiles grew identically. "Listen. This is a party for Lily! We don't need you two bringing only females into this party. We made it co-ed for a reason," Marlene ended with a snap.

"Afraid of a little competition, McKinnon?" teased Fabian, poking at her side before she smacked it away with her notebook.

She gave him a nasty look. "Competition for what?"

"You know, a lot of birds are interested in a night with me, and _I_ am graduating from this fine institution fairly soon."

"Not soon enough, obviously," she retorted finally as she turned to her cousin and his cohort of friends. "Now, you lot. You four have a very important job," she said in stern voice. "A lot of responsibility."

"Responsibility is my middle name," Sirius Black said in a smug tone.

"I thought it was Orion," Peter murmured.

"I'm special; I have two."

"Sirius Orion Responsibility Black…?" The smallest Marauder repeated in a slow voice.

"Focus!" insisted Marlene as she raised her voice. "We have literally 27 hours to make this the best birthday party ever, and I am not letting your incompetence ruin this for my best mate. Understood?!"

"You sound like McGonagall," James Potter grumbled as he eyed her appraisingly.

"Ha. Ha." Marlene deadpanned. She dug into her pocket and pulled out parchment with a lengthy list on it. "These are your tasks."

The Marauders scanned the list once over before James asked,"Do I look like a House Elf?"

"More like a House Giant."

"So you do view your own flesh and blood as a servant?"

"Only because you view your kin's flesh and blood as secondary to that of slags," she countered hotly. She even stopped her fast pacing throughout the castle to emphasize her argument.

James almost shot back a very good argument about pettiness being bad for the skin, but instead remembered that he did have a favor to ask of his favorite cousin. "You'd never come before a bird," he reassured, sprinkling sugar atop of every word.

Marlene gave him an appraising sort-of look, because she knew James far too well. "I don't like that."

"Like what?" He asked in a sweet tone.

"That voice you use when you want something."

James let out a hardy laugh, obnoxiously loud too. "That's real rich coming from you-"

"Come on, James -" she pointed to an imaginary watch on her wrist - "I'm on a schedule."

"Can you ask Lily if it's all right if I bring Henley to the party?"

The Marauders waited for Marlene's response as she took her time to suck her teeth. The sound of her tongue against her mouth was wet, and it caused a terrible smacking sound. Only Sirius could appreciate it.

"I know you aren't a big fan of Henley," James continued after a moment, when he realized that Marlene was not going to reply anytime soon, "but, she's been going through a hard time with Cresswell's fall and all. And I think she could use some well-earned fun, and I heard birds love bubble baths-"

"Stop your begging, it's pitiful," Marlene said in a solemn voice as she put up her hand.

James cocked an eyebrow. Normally convincing Marlene was like trying to convince the entrance to Diagon Alley at the Leaky Cauldron to just open. Impossible and not worth anyone's time.

"For some mad reason," Marlene sighed, clearly defeated, "Lily insisted on inviting Henley. I am beyond the reason why, but yes, Henley is already on the approved guest list."

Sirius jabbed his friend's side with his elbow. "Steamy threesome on the way," he whispered in a sing-song voice.

James' mind processing could barely process that image before Marlene smacked Sirius' arm with her notebook. "Don't be lewd, aye?" she glared. She turned her attention back to James, "She feels bad for Henley and Jones after what happened to Cresswell too. She almost invited Cresswell when she heard he woke up yesterday, but decided he still needed rest."

James smiled. Of course she had already considered girls like Henley and Jones. Lily always thought of everyone.

"And she thought you might enjoy Henley's company," Marlene added, with another touch of sourness to her tone.

Now, James' ego came up with numerous reasons as to why Lily Evans would invite Camilla Henley for his own sake. The list tackled his brain like an oncoming bludger. Was she playing matchmaker? Trying to console Henley through male attention? Or did she know that James and Henley had already gone out together? The options were endless.

"Speaking of inviting others," Remus said as he stepped forward with hands forced in his pockets and a smile that did not seem confident. "Can I bring along someone too?"

The three other Marauders exchanged glances with Marlene, who looked just as intrigued. She eyed her housemate up and down with a devilish smirk sprawled across her lips. "And the date would be?" She inquired in a flirty voice.

"Not a date," Remus clarified, "just a mate. I think we all consider her one actually. Meadowes?"

"Meadowes?" Peter repeated, almost as in a whisper. He heard from the other two that their friend and the elusive Slytherin had been hanging out now, but this was the first time Peter had mentioned it himself.

"Yes, Meadowes," Remus repeated, straining his voice. His friends always tended to cause a ruckus when it came to friends of the opposite gender. The other Gryffindors stared at him, waiting for him to go on. "What? It's just a party. It's not like the Slytherins throw the most exciting birthday bashes."

Marlene leaned in and poked her long finger into Remus' chest, which was more sturdy than the blond had imagined (not the point, however.) She narrowed her eyes at him. "What - do - you - two - have - on- each - other?" She asked, jabbing him with each word.

Remus took Marlene's hand and gently removed it from his body. As he let it drop, he said in a simple voice, "Nothing. I just… well, we're friends. I thought she was yours too."

Marlene shrugged. "Friends may be a little strong, since I barely know her. She's nice, and I appreciate her though."

"So, she can come?" He tried not to sound too enthused, but the other Marauders definitely picked up on the inclined tone.

"Only if you tell me what you and Meadowes do at night? I bet she's a bit of a freak-"

"Oh, sod off, McKinnon," the prefect groaned impatiently, "Meadowes and I are seriously just friends."

Marlene looked unconvinced as she gave a pout. "Boring," she sighed as she peered down at her notes for the party. "Yeah, she's coming already too. Lily wanted her on the list as well. Tell her for me?"

"Oh, sure."

Sirius clapped Remus' back and teased, "Seems you don't get to play Prince Charming now, do ya, Moony?"

Marlene's eyes lit up like Christmas decorations. She turned her attention to him. "Are you jealous of Lupin?" She asked. The girl lived for drama.

Sirius let out a short bark of a laugh. "Sirius Orion Responsibility Black does not do jealousy."

"You do know there is nothing to be jealous of, right, Mate?" Remus clarified in a solemn voice. "Dorcas and I aren't-"

"Oh, I know that you two have an exclusively platonic friendship," Sirius revealed nonchalantly, "at least for now."

Remus decided not to engage his friends any further on the topic of Dorcas Meadowes. It only brought about an excessive amount of interrogating, which he was simply not in the mood for. It had already been hard enough to keep a secret from his mates without them being suspicious; he didn't need to give them further reason to question his relationship with her.

* * *

For the past two weeks, Lily Evans stopped questioning her relationship with Connor. She stopped doubting her own affection towards him whenever she got the chance. She decided to do something she had never even attempted before. She tried going with the flow.

Now, Lily was not an uptight person per say. She did not schedule her week out to a T, or freak out when Marlene would leave clothes around the dorm. But when it came to her own feelings, like remained regimented. She liked the ability to identify and categorize her emotions; it made them easier to register. For a while, her feelings towards Connor were so messy that she felt like ripping her hair out. She'd flip-flop between admiration and boredom. But maybe that was just how romantic love worked for Lily Evans.

And that's what she decided on. No point in trying to change her feelings for Connor; maybe this was all her love to offer.

Was it bad that she thought about this while they were snogging in a nook by the Hospital Wing?

Lily eventually pulled back when she heard the snickers of one-too-many underclassmen. She gave Connor a sheepish smile that he returned. "I'm sorry I can't be more proactive in your birthday planning," he apologized for the fiftieth time this week.

Lily rolled her eyes, not out of annoyance, but out humor. "It's okay, Connor. Marlene has the whole thing under control."

The Headboy smiled as he straightened his collar. "I know that she does," informed Connor, "but it would've been nice to help out in at least some way. It's just this application for the Salem Defense Institute in America is due next week, and I'm already freaking out-"

"I know," Lily interrupted gently, cupping her boyfriend's face. Her thumb rubbed the incoming stubble on his cheeks. "I know how much that position means to you."

It was true. Connor wanted to go to America after he graduated from Hogwarts in June. They had a competitive internship program for post-graduate witches and wizards, training them in multiple areas of defensive magic. Not only was it a good opportunity, but Connor was a half born with a sick muggle father and a younger muggle half-sister. As they dated, Lily heard Connor's concerns for his family's well-being in the country. He often said, "It's hard being black in this country as is, and it doesn't help that my family is made of muggles either." In America, things were looking more positive for people of color and muggle-borns and their families. At least more so than in Magical Europe where terror lingered around every corner for anyone who was not a white or a pureblood.

Connor kissed the palm of Lily's hand. "I'm really lucky to have met a girl like you," he whispered.

"As am I," Lily teased.

Connor let out a laugh as he pushed Lily a little. "Tell me, Lily, if you've ever met a girl with arms like this."

"Well, if you count… I'm kidding," she laughed as she kissed her boyfriend's shocked face.

The Hogwarts bell rang, signaling to the students that the period was about to being. Connor sighed as he looked down at his watch. "Lucky me, I get to spend the next two hours with good ole Slughorn."

"Don't blow anything up," Lily advised, not that Connor needed it. He got an O on his Potions OWL back in his 5th year. Just like she did.

"Only you, Darling," he kissed her cheek quickly before skittering off to the Dungeon.

Lily watched as the Head Boy ran past students and down the stairs. She slung her backpack onto her shoulder and thought of a quiet corner in the Library to catch up on some Transfiguration reading. The subject was always more difficult for her to grasp since it involved so many formulas and calculations. She preferred subjects with more… well, subjectivity. Charms required a bit of finessing, and Potions was like advanced cooking. All required a bit of in the moment leniency.

Speaking of in the moment.

Lily found herself passing the Hospital Wing. Rumor had it that Dirk Cresswell finally woke up. She was extremely curious as to what could make the 5th year unconscious for nearly an entire week. It couldn't have been the fall itself because Dirk never actually made contact with the floor. She had caught him just in time, or so she hopped.

Her feet lead her to answers as they headed further into the wing. There were no other students there, so it was relatively quiet. But she did hear a few hushed voices behind the furthest curtain. Her clinking shoes were even louder than the voices.

The voices stopped, and another pair of footsteps could be heard. Camilla Henley came out from the curtain. She had dark bags under her eyes, but that didn't stop her from glaring at Lily.

"How can I help you, Evans?" She asked. It seemed as if she was trying very hard not to sound sour.

Lily had thought by inviting Henley to her birthday, the brunette would warm up to her, at least just a bit. Guess not. "I heard Cresswell woke up," Lily replied, "I just wanted to see if he was awake."

"He's not."

Lily was about to openly object because you need to hear two voices to eavesdrop in on a conversation. But, she thought better of it. If Cresswell was too tired or unwilling to talk, then she should let him be with Henley.

"Awe, come on, Millie," Dirk's scratchy voice insisted from behind the curtain. "I'm fine."

Camilla shot a glare in the direction of the voice. "No, you're not," she said, stern.

"I could use some human contact, not that yours isn't sufficient, but I would like to talk to her." Cresswell was always rather diplomatic, which clearly irritated Camilla.

In return, the brunette rolled her eyes and slung her backpack over her shoulder. She gave her bedridden friend a final glare before saying, "Remember your anesthetic potion."

"It tastes like rat piss."

"Yeah, well, you're going to feel like rate shite if you don't take it," she said curtly as she walked down the aisle of beds. She didn't even stop to say goodbye to Lily, which was expected. She did however say as she passed by, "Make sure he takes it before you leave."

"Will do," Lily agreed as she walked down the aisle towards Cresswell's bed. She peered behind the curtain and felt a rush of relief, seeing Cresswell's brown eyes blink back at her. Although she was glad to see him awake, he did appear rather ragged looking. Even though he had been asleep for nearly a week, Cresswell still had dark bags under his eyes and prominent veins popping. There were no bruises on his body, but he did look paler. She wouldn't tell him any of this though.

"Hi, Cresswell," Lily murmured softly, moving to stand at the edge of bis bed. "I'm glad to see that you're doing better."

Dirk shrugged, "'S'ppose so. I'm not dead, I reckon." Considering the fact that he just arose out of a coma, the Gryffindor seemed like his usual goofy self. "And I have you to thank for that."

Lily blushed slightly and asked, "Who told you?"

"Hestia and Camilla explained everything to me the moment I woke up," he explained. His eyes trailed down to his hands, which her folded in his lap. "I don't remember anything."

"Anything?" Lily repeated, not even trying to conceal her shocked tone.

Dirk shook his head in confirmation. He took a moment before revealing, "I only remember coming back from dinner and leaving the Great Hall. That's it."

Lily had a difficult time believing that. Not because she thought her housemate was lying, but because dinner ended at 6:30pm. She and Hestia found Dirk floating at probably 9:30pm. What had happened in those three hours?

"You didn't go back to the Tower? Or the library?" Lily offered, maybe prompting some forgotten memories.

"No, I didn't make it to either," he sighed, "Trust me, I would've remembered. My bed and I are like this." He twisted his index finger and middle finger around each other tightly, causing the two to laugh lightly.

This left the bright students puzzled and quiet for a moment. And they stayed here until Lily felt curious enough to ask, "Was there anything out of the ordinary that day?"

Dirk contemplated this as he tapped his fingers against his lap. "Nothing," Dirk repeated, a bit more surely this time. "A Hogwarts day can only get so exciting," he laughed at the end.

Lily joined in. This was true. Some days felt like time loop; they would do the same things over and over again. It felt ritualistic, without the uplifting spirituality component.

"Go though your day then," she suggested, "maybe there's something that my new eyes could see that yours can't."

Dirk hesitated as he ground his teeth. "Woke up, went to a few classes, dealt with Basil Greengrass' sadism - nothing strange there - went to dinner, and then… it went blank," he let out a tired sigh at the end as he peered up at Lily. "Evans, I'm the most boring person in this castle; I really don't know why I was chosen."

"You are far from boring," Lily insisted. She couldn't help but let out a small twinge of maternalism for the young muggle-born. But Dirk did have a point. There was nothing unusual about Dirk's day one week ago, even Greengrass' inhumanity. (Basil Greengrass was a dark-haired fifth year with clear mommy issues, old pureblood money, and an untouchable amount of security regarding his education at this institution, despite being an incredible arse). Maybe someone chose Dirk by accident, maybe someone wasn't out for muggle-borns or Mason Nagut's child. Lily did have a tendency for the dramatics, especially when it concerned her friends.

The bell echoed throughout the walls, signifying students t.

"If you do remember anything and be willing to share," Lily started, "let me know?"

Dirk gave a sure nod. "Thanks for caring, Evans."

"People like you and me have to stick together, Dirk," she smiled in return.

He chuckled without much humor because war wasn't funny, but had to laugh because this was their reality. Their everyday. The reality for muggle-borns was yes, they had to stick together and stick up for one another. They both envied their classmates who had the privilege to not live in constant paranoia.

"Now, take this anesthetic," Lily said as she stood up.

He rolled his eyes. "Oh, sod off, Evans," he grumbled as he scotched further under his sheets.

"Henley will kill me," she countered, "and I have a birthday to attend tomorrow, and if I don't, Marlene will bring me back to life and then kill me. You scare me much less."

"The bird has dedication."

"Tell me about it."

Lily unscrewed the top of the long bottle and poured the violet liquid into a small mug. She poured until the marked line and put it in front of her housemate's pale face. "Drink."

"I never realized how bossy you were," Dirk commented as he took the cup.

Lily scoffed, "Yes, you have. I'm a bloody prefect."

"This is true," Dirk agreed as he sniffed the contents. He made a gagging noise before pinching his nose and chucking it back, like a shot of fire whiskey. "Nasty shite, nasty shite."

"See?" Lily smirked as she took back the cup, "Not so bad."

"It's worse than my own sleeping draught," Dirk argued, wiping off the remnants with his sleeve. "And I've gotten a P in potions last term."

As Lily laughed lightly, a light bulb went off in her mind. Her eyes widened as she looked down at Dirk, now with more intensity in her green eyes.

"What?" Dirk asked awkwardly, not enjoying the scrutiny of Lily's gaze.

Lily tried to slow her brain down from making so many possible associations. "You take sleeping draught?" Lily asked quickly, setting the cup back down.

"Yeah," He replied, as if it were obvious. "I have insomnia. Runs in the family on my mum's side."

"When do you take it? Did you take it last week?"

"At dinner every night. Gives it some time to settle in," he answered just as fast. "Hold on, Evans. What're you trying to say?"

Lily tapped her foot to the rhythms of her thoughts. "I, er, I don't know yet. But maybe, just maybe, someone spiked your drought that night."

Dirk raised his eyebrows, letting out a low whistle too. "That's… quite an accusation."

"It's just a theory," Lily replied softly. She tried to reel in her intensity, not wanting to scare him. "I could very well be wrong."

His eyes softened as he looked down at his hands, now clasped tightly together. "I hope you are."

* * *

"Now, now, I hope you get your beauty sleep, Meadowes. You look like the backside of a Hippogriff," Evan Rosier called out as they left their Divination lecture. "Guess mudbloods need the extra time."

Dorcas Meadowes had a clever comeback involving a tasteful remark concerning mental illness in families that inbreed, but she was too tired to even do so. She just ignored the prat and his giggling group of friends. She even ignored the sympathizers from the other houses, who watched her cautiously to see if she would give Rosier a taste of his own medicine. But her facial muscles felt too weak to even move her lips.

"And you, Rosier, look the contents of what falls out of the backside."

Dorcas' head lifted from pushing her books into her bag. She scanned the room of now laughing students and moody Slytherins and stopped when her eyes stopped at Remus Lupin leaning against the doorframe. He gave her a small wave.

"You got half-borns sticking up for you now, Meadowes? Trading in green for red?" Rosier hissed, trying to hide his own flush. "We never needed dirty blood in our house anyway."

Dorcas thought of replying but instead said nothing; she noticed that Remus was about to interject too. She gave her scarred friend - or whatever the fuck they were - a glare, signaling not to give in to Rosier's taunts. She could handle herself.

She slung her bag of her shoulder as she glared back at her imbecile of a housemate. Rosier was sitting a table with a crystal ball, dangerously close to the edge. He was laughing before he got a glimpse of Dorcas' cold eyes glowering at him. People like Rosier were easy to read; his mind was an open-book with a barrier made of thin cotton. She saw his memories and pulled out the first one that came up.

It was one earlier in the year when Dorcas came out of the Slytherin bathroom in her nightgown. In Rosier's mind, she watched herself walk out of the bathroom and bend over to fix her own slipper. Rosier watched her that night with longing and disgust, all at the same time. Dorcas knew from Rosier's perception that he really liked the way she looked, but found her also to be a repulsive mudblood. It made Dorcas want to hurl that he'd ever look at her like that.

But it was a good memory to use against him right now.

Like pulling on a rope, Dorcas pulled the memory to the front of his mind. She, and the rest of the class, saw the growing look of surprise on Rosier's face. His cheeks turned red hot, and his jaw slacked. Dorcas dropped the figurative rope when she realized that maybe she was going too far, because it seemed that Rosier's lower body was reacting _too_ much.

Dorcas turned on her heel, releasing Rosier from her grasp and strutted out of the door. She ignored the stares and the not-so quiet whispers of concern. She passed by Remus and asked in a low voice, "Coming?"

The halls of Hogwarts were now full of students heading down to the Great Hall for dinner. She trotted down the stairs from the Divination tower with Remus just a few steps behind her.

"What the bloody hell was that?" He asked incredulously.

"What was what?" She replied coolly. She didn't know why she was trying to play it off, because Remus knew. _Force of habit,_ her defense system reminded her.

"You literally just stared into Rosier's soul and caused him the adolescent ultimate embarrassment without even blinking an eye," he replied in an obvious tone.

"He should learn to keep the trap of his shut then," she countered, rubbing her forehead. The tiredness was spreading, causing her to let out a big yawn.

Remus grabbed Dorcas by the wrist and spun her around. The poor girl was so tired that she nearly fell into his chest as a result. Luckily, Remus stabilized her. "Bloody hell, Dorcas, are you all right?"

"I'm tired," she said blandly. "Very tired."

"I can see that," he observed softly. "Whatever you just did to him probably tired you out further."

Dorcas nodded because this was true. Every time she used an ounce of her ligilmens skill, it tired her out beyond belief. "I just rose a memory up to distract him long enough from making anymore jokes," she said. "Normally, it doesn't take this much out of me."

Remus blinked. "You can do that?"

"Yes, I can."

"What did you find?"

Dorcas tired not to conjure Rosier's image of herself in her own brain, but it was inevitable. She let out a long sigh as she let her head loll back. "He was checking me out in our common room one night. That's the memory I chose."

Remus said nothing, but his wide-eyed expression said enough.

"And well, I reminded him off it; it was pretty close to the surface of his conscious to begin with," Dorcas said sheepishly. "I know it's mean, but he should seriously stop contradicting himself. It's bad for one's sense of self, ya know?"

Remus shrugged noncommittally. "Well, he was raised by a pack of animals. I doubt he has a decent sense of self to begin with." He paused for a moment, waiting.

"What?" Dorcas asked after a moment.

He rubbed the back of his neck and eyed a few passing by students. He leaned in a little so that no one would eavesdrop and asked, "You can just do that? Pluck images and use it against people?"

She scoffed, "When you put it that way-"

"Sorry, sorry," he apologized rapidly. It was almost kind of cute how bad he felt in such a short amount of time. "Not what I meant at all. I just, well, didn't know."

"It's fine," Dorcas shrugged. "It's not what I like to use it for. Or use it in general."

"Is that what you did to Parkinson, that one time before break at the Astronomy Tower party?" He asked, getting over his awkwardness. "You showed him some of his own memories as a distraction?"

Dorcas raised an eyebrow at him. "You remember that?"

" _That_ was wicked," smirked Remus.

"I'm glad you enjoyed."

"Speaking of enjoyment," he said, attempting casual, "you should really be having more fun, Dorcas."

This caused the Slytherin to stop in her tracks for a moment. She regarded Remus appraisingly, not caring that more students were watching them. (Yes, it was very weird for a Slytherin and a Gryffindor to be acting so casual.)

"What do you want?" She asked curtly.

"I tried to explain this to you before, but you have some serious ego defenses lined up," Remus teased, causing the dark-haired girl to glare even harder. "I'm kidding, Dorcas, but I do mean that you should have fun."

"I live for fun," she deadpanned.

"You're sixteen-"

"Seventeen," she corrected

"Right," Remus said offhandedly, "either way, you are a viable teenager who should have some good and decent fun. Especially all you do is mope and walk around mysteriously, examining people's memories-"

"I block them, thank you very much!" She countered. It was probably the loudest Remus had ever heard her speak.

"- Or trying not to dig. Either way, that's why I think you should come to Lily's birthday party tomorrow evening."

"Oh." Dorcas bit her lower lip. "Does she want me there?"

"Asked me to invite you," he said, standing a bit straighter.

"Ah, a dutiful messenger. How sweet."

"I aim to please," he smirked. "So what do you say?"

They began walking down the stairs again. Dorcas let the click-clack of their shoes take up the sound of the conversation as she thought. Remus could sense her hesitation about being in such close proximity to people. And he thought he was anti-social. "A few drinks, a few spliffs, and some decent music seems like a better Saturday evening than locking yourself in your dorm with blood supremacists and textbooks, am I right?"

Dorcas nodded, seeing the point immediately. "Fine," She grumbled.

Remus punched her in the arm lightly. "Well, there you go. It'll be fun. Apparently, it's bubble-bathed theme."

"Excuse me?"

"Swim trunks and bikinis."

"You're kidding me, right?"

"Serious," Remus said innocently. "I'm serious as drowning."

"That was poorly done."

"I know, joke was too forced."

Once they reached the Great Hall, Remus was about to walk in when he noticed Dorcas' feet heading towards the dungeon. "Aren't you coming to dinner?"

She shook her head. "I'm tired."

"When was the last time you ate?"

Dorcas paused. "I ate granola and yogurt this morning."

"No, you have to eat," Remus countered. "A gust of wind could push you right over." He gave her a gentle push in the shoulder to prove his point.

"I'm more tired than hungry," she said, trying to hide the whine that was about to escape her voice.

"Sleep after you eat," he encouraged.

 _Stubborn,_ Dorcas noted. "Well, I'd rather spend my night alone in my dorm and enjoy the few peaceful moments without being surrounded by bitches that I call housemates," she said in a proud voice.

"Sit with us then."

She gave him her (at this point famous) appraising look. She titled her head past him and narrowed her eyes at the Gryffindor table. She focused on where Lily Evans, James Potter, Sirius Black, Marlene McKinnon, Emmeline Vance, Mary MacDonald, and Peter Pettigrew sat. They were laughing about something, probably had to do with the apple James was balancing on his forehead. They looked happy.

"It seems like it's already a party," she said, looking back up at Remus' soft eyes.

"Always could make room for a friend."

"Just because we're… friends, doesn't mean that they want me to be their friend," she explained. "Black seemed pretty fed-up with me that last time I chatted with him."

"That's because he's never been rejected before," Remus disregarded. "His ego may be bruised, but he'll live."

Dorcas gave him a contemplative look as he peered over his shoulder. He took a long sniff. "Roasted beef and mashed potatoes," he crooned.

"You're a monster."

"Love, don't I know?"

This made Dorcas chuckle. She swiped her long locks out of her face and gave her temples a rub before saying, "Will you let me sleep after I eat?"

"I'll even sing you a lullaby."

Dorcas shook her head as they walked in to the Great Hall together. A few students watched and whispered, but none of it bothered either of them. But, a few students did bother them.

"Are you two fucking?" Marlene McKinnon asked loudly. She glanced them both up and down, pointing her mashed-potato filled fork at the pair.

"Ooh, subtlety," cooed Sirius. "Sexy."

"We are not," clarified Remus as he sat beside Lily, and Dorcas followed. "We're just friends."

"Mm-hmm," Marlene murmured, elbowing Mary in the side.

"What's your star sign, Remus?" Emmeline asked curiously as she pulled out her astrology chart.

"A pieces…" Remus said awkwardly. "I think. Or am I an Aries?"

"Merlin, you're definitely not an Aries," laughed Lily. "You're not nearly as impulsive as James."

Dorcas didn't even bother with the question; she was too busy noticing the Gryffindors that were noticing her. Samuel Brown - a seventh year with frizzy brown hair, light skin, and freckles - scooted further away from Dorcas even. He whispered to a few of his friends in a nervous voice, as if worried about catching a disease. This wasn't a new scene for the Slytherin, but that didn't mean she enjoyed it. Seems like none of the student body at Hogwarts did not have an ounce of subtlety.

"Oy," James called out, snapping Dorcas out of her attempt at indifference. He wasn't glaring those hazels at her, but at the rest of the his housemates. "She's a slytherin," he hissed, "not a fucking gremlin. Have some bloody decency, will you?"

Samuel's face flushed a little before looking away with the rest of his friends. Dorcas couldn't help but let a small smile widen on her lips. "Thanks," she murmured.

James smiled back. "I do what I can for my fellow Quibbler subscribers."

Dorcas raised her brow, impressed. "You read the Quibbler?" she asked curiously.

"Naturally," James shrugged, "only place where you can get your facts straight." Dorcas nodded in agreement, laughing because she had never met someone who felt the same.

"You are coming tomorrow night, right?" Lily asked, peering over Remus (who was reading about Pieces' personalities.) "Remus did tell you, no?"

"Yes, he did," Dorcas nodded. She said this as she pulled out a small flash from her book bag. "Bubble-bath theme? Pretty risqué, Evans."

"Oh, it wasn't my idea," Lily laughed. It took her a moment before she realized that Dorcas was pouring some liquid into her pumpkin juice. "Marlene's…" she whispered, letting her voice trail off.

Dorcas noticed Lily's staring, and as well as James'. She smirked, "It's just a sleeping potion."

Lily's eyes brightened with an invisible fire. She gulped at the sight, but that was such a leap to make. But that doesn't mean her brain wouldn't think it: _Whoever tried to kill Dirk, would they also be after Dorcas?_

"Trouble sleeping next to those slimy gits?" James joked.

Dorcas chuckled, "Talkalot even talks a lot in her sleep. It makes it hard to dream peacefully." Once all of the liquid was mixed in with her pumpkin juice, she took all of it in one swig.

While Dorcas drank her mix, James peered over to Lily with knowing eyes. Without speaking, his hazel eyes and her emerald ones conversed about speculation and fear. And towards the end of their nonverbal exchange and Dorcas' liquid consumption, James' eyes peered over to his watch. He tapped to the 10 on his leather-bound watch, which Lily understood immediately. She gave him a sure nod.

Dorcas wiped the dribble from her mouth and said, "That should put me out for tonight," as she piled up some dinner on her plate.

Lily certainly hoped not.

* * *

 _A/N - I am so sorry that it's taken this long to upload! (I didn't want to make it a month, fucking A.) This past month has been super busy with school and work and just freaking life. I wanted to upload so bad, but I wanted to put up something good. I hope you will forgive me and enjoy this! Please review, follow, and favorite if it suits you!_

 _\- Rose!_


	14. Chapter 14

**Still January 28** **th** **, 1977**

James Potter was not a patient person, at all. He sat in the one of the nooks within common room, a spot next to the curved window. The cold winter air blew in gently as he ashed his cig. He watched as a few students complete their homework; a couple whispering secrets to one another on the couch; and few played Exploding Snap opposite from him. It was a normal Friday night for everyone else and their friends, except for James.

It was supposed to a meeting involving his fellow Marauders, Marlene, Lily, and himself but it seemed like it would just be Lily and James tonight. Marlene dedicated herself to setting up the party in the bathroom and enlisted Sirius' help, who obliged rather quickly. James sent Peter along with them to make sure that no funny business occurred. Lastly, Remus had last-minute surveillance rounds, covering for Hestia Jones, whom was taking care of the recovering Dirk Cresswell.

It didn't bother James, per say, to be left alone with Lily. A year ago he'd be jumping for bloody joy at just the chance to talk to her, without the possibility of being hexed. Now, it just sometimes became rather… tense. They'd bicker like always and share a laugh here and there, but there was still another element in the air. He'd catch her staring at him, eyeing him up and down, and when he did, Lily would snap her head away. He'd seen that look before; other birds had given him that once over. Most of the time they'd let their stare linger though, like fog after a rainstorm. Maybe he should bring it up to her, remind the bird that she was dating Head Boy.

But then again, who the fuck was he kidding?

Lily Evans was not interested in him. She was probably acclimating herself to the fact that she and James could be comrades, maybe even friends. For Merlin's sake, she's more or less helping him get with Camilla Henley.

"Fuck," James sighed as he took a long inhale, trying to breath in toxins instead of thoughts of redhead prefects.

"Long day?"

James snapped his head towards the gentle voice. He blinked a few times before his vision stabilized at the sight of Lily Evans. She looked tired as she rubbed her green eyes with the back of her hands.

"Yeah," James nodded as he moved his feet, letting her have some of the bench. "Seems like you did too."

Lily nodded as she plopped down. She tucked her feet under her legs, criss-cross style, and leaned her head against the glass window. She smiled as a gust of fresh air sprawled across her face. James tried not to as he watched her. "I feel like I'm selling my soul to the library," she murmured, eyes still closed.

"The life of academia," James agreed. "What we do to gain an education."

"And yet you're still stupid enough to be killing your lungs."

James frowned at her as she smiled at nothing. She turned her head and gave him a wink. "And here you are asking to speak with me," James countered evenly.

"Hm… yes, I suppose I am," sighed Lily. She tucked a piece of hair behind her ear, looking lovely as ever. Even when she jumped because of the rumbling thunder, she still looked lovely.

James couldn't help but smile at her rare moment of timidness. "What got your pretty brain so worked up at dinner?" He asked, transitioning to their topic aim.

Lily looked down at the small space of bench that was not occupied by either one of them. Her fingers tapped against the velvet fabric, leaving slight indents. "I saw Cresswell today," she murmured after a long moment, not looking up to meet James' eyes.

"How is he?" The Marauder asked, ashing the cigarette.

"All right," she nodded, "better than all right. He seems perfectly normal actually. He's missing a few spots in his memory, like the night of the fall."

"Can't be just a coincidence. You asked him about his daily goings? Anything out of the ordinary?"

"Of course I did," Lily snapped. "Nothing out of the usual. But, something within his usual day sounded like… a clue." She seemed iffy on her word-choice.

James lifted a single brow as he waited for the ginger to speak.

"Dirk makes his own sleeping draught," she explained. "Insomnia on his mum's side."

She didn't have to continue for James to get the gist. He wiped a hand over his face and tapped the ash off again. "Bloody hell, you think someone spiked his drink?"

"I think it's an easy option," Lily corrected. "I don't anything for sure, just speculation."

"That would mean they'd have to know his schedule too."

"And his family background."

"Merlin, it had to be someone close to him. Or at least, relatively close."

The redhead nodded rapidly. "Dirk knows better than to be sharing his family lineage." She knew from experience.

James didn't mind as most of his cig burned, producing a slight crackling noise against the rough wind. He instead watched Lily closely, watching her frame curve in more.

What would it be like to have to hide your family? For his entire life, James would happily march up on his soapbox and openly admire his incredible parents, for all the world to see. He couldn't imagine how restricting that would be for Loyal Lily. He'd only hear her speak about her parents a few times, mentioning a rotten sister. How much did she hide because she was a muggleborn, trying to protect her family from her bigoted schoolmates.

"Dirk doesn't have a father," James revealed. "Just he and his mum."

Lily lifted her head up and stared into James's eyes with her own. Her jaw dropped a tiny bit and whispered, "You don't think…?"

James shook his head. "Dad died when he was three. Dirk doesn't remember him."

"How do you know this?" Lily asked.

"He's my teammate, and I'm his captain," James shrugged. "He and I've talked about his family. Comes to me worried about the War sometimes. How is he going to protect his mum if it gets worse? He's a nervous bloke."

Lily smiled, "It's good that he has a captain like you then."

He smiled back. "I hope so. We lost that bloody game against Slytherin back in November though."

Lily was glad that James could smile about that match, because after that game, he was definitely not pleased. According to Marlene, he threw a fit in the locker room after everyone else left. He left indents in the lockers and benches broken in half. Lily called him a child; Marlene clarified that he was just disappointed with himself.

"You have two chances to get it back," Lily said hopefully.

James nodded. "Oh, we will." He gave her this cocksure smirk that she identified as trouble or tunnel vision.

"You're scary when it comes to Quidditch."

"Maybe, but I'm more driven than scary."

Lily gave him a skeptical look, but did not argue with the sports fanatic. Her mood switched when she realized how funny this whole situation was: scheming and plotting with James Potter as he smoked a cigarette. If you had told Lily that she would be sitting on a bench with the Quidditch captain, she would've laughed in your face. Now, it didn't seem so strange. It felt natural.

James tossed his cigarette and ran a hand through his hair. "We're looking for a muggleborn, probably above the age of fifteen, with a single mum. Or one with a step-dad," James said logically, trying to fit the pieces of this puzzle together. He looked up and gave Lily a once over glance, "You're dad is your biological one, right?"

Lily frowned. "You met him."

"Yeah, you both have those eyes," James agreed indifferently. He faced back out the window, coming up with names in his head. He was so focused that he didn't even notice the slight blush warm Lily's cheeks. "MacDonald?"

"Mary has both parents," Lily added.

"Uh, what about Greyson? Isn't he muggle born?"

"No, half," she revealed. "His dad died when he was thirteen."

"Oh. My condolences."

"James, we could be going in this circle for hours since there are a ton of muggleborns in this castle. But, perhaps, we could start with one?"

James, impressed with Lily's investigation skills, leaned in and whispered, "You think you know who the next target is going to be?"

"I'm a solid fifty-percent sure."

James scoffed, "That's not even passing, Lily. You're going to have to do better than that."

"I'm sorry, but what percent are you on?" She countered shortly. "You don't even have a lead."

James ignored her. "All right, Holmes, what do we got?"

"I think it's Dorcas."

For some reason, that didn't surprise James as much as he thought. He nodded slowly, "Muggleborn, sleep disturbances, and probably mental. I could see that."

"She isn't mental," she murmured.

"Ehhhhh," James droned on, "I'm not sure if there's a psychiatric diagnosis, but the girl is unusual. You and I both remember that night in the Astronomy Tower. She practically mind-whipped Parkinson. Dorcas Meadowes may be a good lead to start with."

"Do you know what her family is like?" Lily inquired.

"No," James replied honestly, "You?"

Lily shook her head. No one, except maybe drop-out Emma Vanity, knew who Dorcas really was. The Slytherin, albeit clever and cool, was more closed off than Pandora's Box. Who knew what secrets would leak if she opened up to someone?

"But," James said after a moment, the cocksure grin returning. "We both know someone who could find out?" When Lily didn't attempt a suggestion, he continued, as if it were obvious, "Remus."

Lily's eyes widened. This was true, but something didn't feel right in her stomach. She imagined a scenario of Remus and Dorcas, talking like they were at dinner, and their good friendship all crumbling because Remus began snooping, on behalf of Lily and James. "I don't know…" she whispered dubiously.

"Remus is very good at keeping secrets."

"I have no doubt, but still. I don't like the thought of Remus digging things up for our benefit."

"Merlin, Lily, it's not for our bloody benefit," James disputed. "It's for hers. She's the one with Death Eater Apprentices coming for her life."

Lily didn't want to admit that James had a point because he sounded like a prat. Also, he didn't want to think about someone hurting Dorcas. Merlin knows how much that girl had to go through as a muggleborn in a Slytherin common room. What kind of mental resiliency did she have to ward off all the hate and fear?

"I hope no one comes for her," Lily said quietly, rubbing her eyes of potential sleep.

"Me neither," James agreed. He stood up, noting the drowsiness in her vocal cords. He offered a hand for her to do the same. "You need sleep. You've had a long day. Lily glared at the hand, but before she could with snarky remark, James spoke up, "It's just a limb, Lily. I know how you feel about being helped to bed."

"Sod off, Squid," Lily hissed as she smacked the hand away. She shot straight up to her feet and her best not to wobble, not wanting to lose her balance… or her dignity.

"Love it when you talk dirty," James smirked as he waited for her to pick her bag up.

"You're disgusting," she chuckled.

They walked past the students and headed towards the stairs towards the dormitories. James stopped at the first flight and peered down to Lily. They stood there awkwardly for a moment, just looking at each other. Neither one wanted to admit they appreciated how narrow the staircase was at the moment.

They stood a foot a part. Lily gazed right into James' chest because the prat just had to be tall. Even through his plain white t-shirt, she could see sculpted chest muscles that she wished she'd never laid eyes on. James' stare managed to fixate at the of Lily's shirt. She had the top two buttons undone, so he could see the top of her cleavage. Bloody hell, he had an angel and a demon on his shoulder: one told him to look away because the perfect had a boyfriend. The other said screw it, and her, right on the staircase.

"Well," Lily said, brighter than she had sounded all night and snapping James out of his mental tug-of-war, "good chat."

"As always," James nodded, trying to divert his attention from her body.

Lily nodded her head and clutched onto her bag a little tighter. "Goodnight, James."

"Goodnight, Lily."

Lily turned around and began to head up the stairs slowly. She reached for the door into the girl's dormitory, and before she went in, she turned around at the call of her name. She stared at James, who had a small smile splayed across his face, and gulped at the way he looked at her.

Connor Greyson would be banging his head against a wall if he could see the way these two looked at each other.

"Sorry," James shrugged, "I just like having my last vision before lights-out be a pretty one."

Because she hated the corniness and the way that a few words can make her heart race, Lily scoffed, "I hope you have sleep paralysis."

* * *

 **January 29** **th** **, 1977**

"I hope you're joking," Remus Lupin chuckled to his friends as they sat around a table in an empty classroom. When he heard no responses, Remus' face hardened. "Go fuck yourselves. I'm not doing that," he said in solemn voice.

James and Sirius let out long irritable sighs as Peter continued to concentrate on attempting to transfigure a quil into a bird. It was not going well; he let out a loud "shit!" every so often.

"Moony," Sirius said in his charming voice - the one he used on girls. "This is for your girlfriend's well-being. We're trying to make sure she doesn't have a target on her back."

Remus ignored the girlfriend quip, knowing that Sirius would only advance his teasing the more he replied. He rubbed his forehead and pulled out his wand from his back pocket. He twirled his wand in the direction of his large window. The panels slammed open as Remus pulled out a pre-rolled spliff.

Everyone in the room exchanged glances, even the half-bird half-quil thing on Peter's desk.

"What?" Remus asked shortly as he put his wand up to the tip, causing a tiny spark. "I'm entitled to a smoke. Full Moon on the way."

"So, nervous to talk with Meadowes about her family?" James asked, leaning against the teacher's desk.

"Actually, yes," Remus admitted honestly, taking a long puff, "if you're so intent on asking Dorcas Meadowes if her daddy isn't really her daddy, then you go and do it, James."

James crossed his arms and thought about it for a moment. It wasn't the worst idea ever, but he did witness Dorcas break Sirius' nose. A clean shot too. "She likes you more," He countered.

"That doesn't mean she wants people prying into her family history," Remus countered as he passed the spliff to Sirius.

"It wouldn't be prying if you did it," Sirius offered as he accepted the spliff. He took two puffs before passing it onto James.

Remus ground his teeth. Nothing about this sounded pleasant, because chances are Dorcas could peep through his memories and pluck out this conversation. The bird knew everything. Even if she said she blocked out people's thoughts, it was still hard for Remus to believe that wholeheartedly. He rubbed a hand over his face and said, "Trust me, I shouldn't do this."

"Why not?" James urged once more. "You have the perfect in. She trusts you."

"Exactly," Remus muttered, too low for his friends' ears.

"And it should stay that way," a female voice insisted. The classroom door slammed loudly as Marlene McKinnon walked in. She flipped her curls over her shoulder. "I found out her history; Meadowes is not the offspring we are looking for."

Sirius scoffed, "A muggle-born in Slytherin? You really expect us to believe that?"

"I thought you two weren't friends," James remarked, examining his cousin up-and-down.

"I didn't speak to her personally," the blond shrugged, "I asked around."

"Bloody hell, Marlene," hissed James, "why not ask Meadowes herself? The whole bloody school will know you're asking questions with that big mouth-"

"Your mum loves me with this big mouth, aye?" Marlene countered shortly.

"All right, stop, stop." Remus stood up, putting himself between the two cousins who could bicker for hours on end. He turned to Marlene and smiled at her, "Now that your cousin is finally quiet, please share, Marlene."

She smiled and patted Remus on his head, like she would a puppy. She looked past Remus and to the rest of the Marauders and said, "Dorcas Meadowes' family history doesn't fit the bill. If she were Mason Nagut's child that would mean that she would technically have to be fatherless."

"Correct," James murmured slowly, not quite sure where his cousin was going with that ambitious statement.

"Well, the girl is not fatherless in the slightest," Marlene revealed as she pulled out pieces of parchment from her book bag. She laid them out carefully, so that the three could be seen by all of the Marauders.

The first one was of a younger Dorcas, pre-Hogwarts most likely, with cropped black hair and a white bow. She was dressed in all black, prim and proper, and stood next to a tall man with pale skin, a five o'clock shadow, and shiny dark hair. In the other two pictures, Dorcas looked a bit older - probably around 13 and 16 - as did the man.

"That's her dad?" asked Remus. Even though his tone was surprised, he was not quite sure why he sounded like that. Perhaps he expected something more striking, like Dorcas.

Marlene nodded. "Apparently, Meadowes is a big deal in the Muggle World. And I mean, a big bloody deal."

"How big are we talking?" Peter asked.

"I'm talking the equivalent to old pureblood money," the blond explained. She looked to her cousin and Sirius. "If you do the currency exchange between galleons and euros, Meadowes may be richer than all three of us combined."

Sirius put a hand up. "Currently, I'm broke, disowned, and unemployable, so I don't count."

"You're still a Black."

"Right," Sirius said dryly, "You go tell that to Walburga. Fetch me my magazine collection while you're there, would you?"

James lolled his head back as he attempted to complete mathematical equations in his head. He was rather good with numbers, which was why he excelled in Transfiguration. If he carried the 1 over, all the way over, then Dorcas should be worth…

"Bloody Hell," James whispered to himself, eyes widening in the process. "Where did that money come from?"

"Apparently," Marlene continued as she pointed to her dad, "Gregory Meadowes runs an extremely well-established bank in muggle England, Scotland, and Ireland. Meadowes Bank even has a few branches in Switzerland, France, and Spain. He's worth more money than we could imagine. Famous family."

Peter murmured something that only dogs could hear.

Sirius leaned over and asked brashly, "What was that, Wormy?"

"I said she's good at hiding it!" Peter repeated in a loud voice, aggravated with himself and his projet.

"Whose good at what?"

"Dorcas," the small one clarified, "she's good at not flaunting her worth around, which is smart considering she has a bounty on her head."

"Or idiotic," Sirius argued, lighting up a cigarette. "She could use her resources as a way to hire protection against her mental housemates."

Remus withheld his comment about Doracs being able to protect herself. "Probably spends it on muggle things," he lied, not knowing where the truth was.

"Mum was also bloody rich," Marlene explained, pulling out another newspaper clipping. It was of a young woman with stunning features: perfect portions, flawless skin, and dazzling blue eyes just like her daughter. You could see the relation: stone cold faces. "Heiress," Marlene said, annunciating every word. "With that much fame on their hands, it would've been a much larger story if Dorcas were not the biological child of the Meadowes, right?"

"Bloody Hell," grumbled James. "Guess that goes that theory. All right, Gents… and Marlene, let's start thinking of that list. Who else could You-Know-Who be after? Let's go through our year first."

"They already strung up Cresswell," Sirius offered.

As the three others began listing names of possible candidates, Remus silently thanked Marlene's intense investigatory skills. He wouldn't know what to make of Dorcas being the next victim. And luckily, he didn't have to think about it.

* * *

"Don't even think about it, Lily Evans!" Marlene barked as her friend tried to remove the Gryffindor tie from shielding her sight.

Lily made a whining noise, but listened. "I don't trust you with this completely unnecessary task," she replied. "You're going to let me walk right into a wall."

"I would never."

"Even if Cattermole waved to you?"

Lily felt Marlene stop in her tracks, pausing them in their journey to Lily's birthday venue, and pulled the blindfold up. It was only enough for Lily to be faced with Marlene's sparkling, angry blue eyes. "That's not funny," she spat, before pulling the blindfold back down and leaving Lily in the dark once again.

The ginger let out a hearty laugh as they resumed their careful steps. "It is," Lily chuckled, once she caught her breath, "just a little."

"Bugger off, aye?" Marlene growled. "We all have that one bloke we shouldn't be attracted to."

Lily decided to keep her mouth shut and imagined only her boyfriend. Only her boyfriend.

In a few more minutes, Marlene stopped them once more. She tapped her fist in a specific pattern, or so Lily thought.

"Stealthy," Lily murmured as the door to the boy's bathroom opened.

"Always," agreed Marlene as she began guiding her friend again. "Careful, there's two steps."

Lily followed her friends' instructions and made her way into the bathroom. Immediately, she noticed the steam of the room, opening her pores. Her clothes nearly felt drenched. Also, there was a floral fragrance flowing through the room. Lavender, maybe? Her senses halted when she lost the physical contact of Marlene.

"Where are you going?" Lily demanded, unsure of her own balance. When she didn't get a response, Lily called out for Marlene again. She was going to do it a third time, but the tie loosened itself and fell from her face. The beauty of magic.

As Lily's vision shifted from reds and golds to natural lighting, she let out a gasp. "Merlin…" She whispered in shock as she looked at the wonderland before her.

"HAPPY BIRTHDAY!"

Lily turned to the side to see all of her party planner friends, dressed in swimsuits and bikinis. She looked around for one in particular, but for some reason, despite being her party handler, he was not present.

"Do you like it?" Marlene asked, biting her nails. Lily hadn't noticed now that she was in a strapless black one-piece, showing off her model-like body.

"It's fantastic," Lily mused as she took in the sights.

Bubbles floated through the sky, half of them charmed to hold lit candles. The ones closer to the ceiling even looked like stars. On the ground, there were tables set up with bowls of snacks, beer pong (a muggle game Mary insisted upon), and holy merlin, was that poker? Marlene had set up a full band (keyboard, guitars, drums - the works) that she charmed to play a selection of songs. Sirius and Emmeline were unloading a fully-stocked open bar, courtesy of the McKinnon Clan's New Year leftovers that Marlene stashed.

The highlight, Lily decided, was the bath itself though. Pink and purple water poured through pipes, making the water look like candied soda. The water sparkled when a candle-lit bubble would pass by. On top of the water, white callalillies floated peacefully.

"All of you have outdone yourself," Lily said brightly as she looked to her friends. "Thank you so much for setting this up. It's more than I could've asked for."

"Oh, Merlin, no tears, please," Sirius called out from the bar, earning him a punch in the arm from Emmeline.

Lily laughed. "No tears, I promise. I propose a shot though for everyone's hard work."

"I agree to that," cheered Sirius. He whisked his wand to get seven shots glasses lined up at the bar. A full bottle of firewhiskey appeared and filled each glass to the top. "Viola."

Everyone lined up, with Lily in the center, and picked up a glass. She smiled at her friends, feeling a warmth in her chest that she couldn't pin on alcohol yet. "I love you, all of you," she smiled as she lifted her glass. "Thank you."

"Awe, Evans, how sweet."

Lily turned back to the entrance and saw James enter in the bathroom. She nearly dropped her glass at the sight, but steadied herself, for her dignity's sake. A shirtless James Potter was a dangerous James Potter. He gave her a wink as he walked up to the bar. "Pour me one, Sirius?"

"'Course, Mate," his friend replied, filling up another shot glass and passing it to James.

"Now, where were we?" James asked, lifting his glass to the birthday girl.

Lily gave him a long look, focusing on his hazel eyes instead of his toned body or stupid smile. She then turned to the rest of her friends and said in a gentle voice, "Cheers."

"WOO!" Emmeline shouted excitedly as she took her drink. She then lifted the bottle and took another swig straight.

"Getting a head start, Kim?" Peter asked curiously, impressed with her determination.

Emmeline nodded, coughing into a closed fist. "I'm trying to be incoherent today, Pettigrew. You'll understand when you have to attend parties with your dick of a boyfriend."

Peter looked down at his feet awkwardly. "You two always seemed to get along fine."

Emmeline rolled her eyes. "Sure, glad it seems that way," she scoffed before taking her third shot.

"Speaking of guests," Fabian Prewett's voice called out, from the entrance crack, "people are lining up out here. Can I let them in?"

"A line?" Lily asked incredulously.

"You're popular, Lily," smirked James, leaning against the bar. "Let's in, Fabian. They've waited long enough."

"Finally," Fabian sighed. "You're nut-of-a-boyfriend almost deducted points for not letting him in immediately, Evans."

Lily did not dispute; she knew she had a hard-headed boyfriend. She watched as Connor, and several other upper classmen, entered the room, keeping his eyes peeled for her figure. When he caught sight of her, Connor ran over and swung her around. "It looks terrific, Lils," he said, kissing her cheek.

"It's not my doing," Lily explained as he set her down gingerly. She looked over to James, who was already on his second shot. "Thank, James and the rest of them."

The Headboy gave the Quidditch Captain an appraising sort-of look. After he was done with his observation, he gave a cordial nod, "Well done, Potter."

"She deserves such," James said, keeping his eyes on Lily instead of Connor. He lifted his glass to her and said, "To years of being bullied by a munchkin." He threw the shot back without a second thought.

"Oh, that's rich coming from you, Potter."

"I don't think I qualify as a munchkin," James countered.

"Years of being bullied," Lily repeated, aghast. "Unbelievable."

"It's only a joke, Evans," smirked James. He noticed Connor's stern face becoming even stonier. "Go have fun. Take a dip in the bath; it's heavenly."

Lily narrowed her eyes at him, but said nothing. She wouldn't let him infuriate him, not on her birthday. She took Connor's hand and did exactly as she should. She had fun.

Actually, it seemed like everyone had fun. Marlene played fantastic music, tunes from around the world that she had picked up. Students danced, smoked, and drank, chatting with friends and snogging with 'friends.'

Lily hated to admit it, but James was right. The bath was heavenly. One of her friends, probably Emmeline, must've put a relaxant in the bath because all of Lily's knots and aches immediately vanished once she slid into the pink pool. She drank a fair amount of firewhiskey shots with Connor, Remus, Peter, and Mary in the pool. She danced a little with the Prewett twins, whom she realized she would sorely miss next year. She even smoked a spliff with Remus, after much convincing.

"I haven't seen Dorcas yet," Lily coughed, beating her chest. "Is she coming?"

Remus shrugged as he took the spliff from his nearly-dying friend, "Last I spoke to her, she was."

Lily, now a bit foggy, giggled, "I like her, you know. She's a good person."

Remus nodded as he took a hit, "I would agree."

Lily elbowed him in the side. "Very pretty too."

"Agreed…" Remus murmured skeptically.

"And smart. Heard she did extraordinary on her OWLs last year."

"Mmm…" He mused, passing the spliff to Lily again, to which she refused. Remus was not nearly besotted enough for this conversation.

"You should ask her out to Hogsmeade one time," Lily suggested, trying her earnest at innocence.

Remus sighed, "It's not like that, Lily."

"You're right. But maybe it could be," she tried to sound hopeful, but was faced with failure as Remus just chuckled and laughed. "Oh come on, Remus. You deserve someone nice in your life. Dorcas is lovely, and you two seem to get on smashing."

Remus shrugged as he flicked the butt out the window. "I've barely come to know her in the past month," he reasoned, "and yes, she's a nice bird, and yes, very attractive-"

"See?!"

"-But, I'm not looking for a girlfriend," he continued. "I'm not interested in one."

She gave him a skeptical look with pursed lips. She took a swig of her mixed drink and tapped her foot. "Don't look at it like she's your girlfriend, or your potential one. Just a friend… with benefits."

"Oh, yes, because that works in reality."

"Never know until you try."

"That's optimistic."

"Some of us has to be during the War."

Remus couldn't argue with her there, but he no longer was interested in having this conversation about Dorcas. The Slytherin girl herself was too complicated as is, and he didn't need extra input. "Can I get you another drink?" He offered as he watched her take the last sips.

"Please and thank you," Lily smiled as she passed him her cup. "Orange Juice and Vodka."

Remus let out a shiver. "Bold, Evans," he murmured as he turned towards the bar.

Lily smiled as she watched her friend walk away. She wished that he'd let himself have some fun for once instead of regimenting himself all the time. It was sad to watch him in the shadows, although he seemed content, of the rest of the Marauders. He was always the quietest, coolest, and calmest of the bunch. And she knew that he had secrets that he had to keep, and they were probably far too intimate for Lily to truly understand, but still. A sixteen year old boy should be able to conduct a little mischief.

Speaking of mischief.

Lily watched as James and Camilla entered the "smoking" section of the party; Marlene had set it up this way to appease Lily's nicotine-free agenda. She thought that the two would stop before reaching her, but they were still coming.

What do they want from her? Lily did not want to be confronted by either one of them, and especially not together. James would be cocky and say something that would make her want to tear her hair out (or laugh her arse off, but nevermind that). And Camilla was not a fan of Lily Evans by far.

"Happy Birthday, Evans," Camilla smiled in her most cordial fashion.

"Thank you, Henley," Lily smiled back. "Are you enjoying yourself."

She nodded and gave James a bright-eyed look. "Yes, it's lovely. You were lucky to have such decent help."

Lily nodded awkwardly as she gave James a small smile, which he reciprocated. "Yes, I do."

"Even better than you average house elf," James prided himself.

"And as modest as one," Lily added to Camilla. Surprisingly, she laughed with Lily.

"Yes, very modest," Camilla added, "and big-headed."

"Wow," James scoffed in disbelief. "I don't need to be here to be roasted by two of my housemates."

"Awe, have a little fun, James," Lily teased.

"We all know that I am the King of Fun," he countered. "I'm going to roll a cigarette; I'll leave you ladies."

Both of the girls watched as James walked towards the bar to stand besides Remus. The air became a bit awkward, and the girls found themselves staring off into the space, looking at the other party-goers. Lily had half a mind to make an excuse, saying she needed to attend to her guests, but Camilla beat her to the punch.

"I wanted to apologize."

Or so, Lily thought. "For?" She asked as she raised an eyebrow.

"Acting like a bitch towards you," Camilla said, her voice becoming softer and softer.

"Oh," Lily gulped. "Henley, you don't have to-"

"I just get, er," Camilla struggled as she ran a hand through her silky locks, "I get jealous, all right?" The last part of the statement seemed to exasperate her.

Lily blinked. "Jealous of me?"

"Naturally."

"Henley, you have nothing to be jealous over. I'm a bloody wreck on legs-"

"You know what I mean," Camilla said, more sternly this time. She peered her eyes over to James, who now had a crowd surrounding him as he told a story. He noticed Camilla's and Lily's attention and waved, before putting a finger to signify that he'll return shortly. "He's always had eyes for you."

"That's not true," Lily said, not sure how true that statement was.

Camilla could sense her doubt. "It's nothing to be ashamed of," she added, "you're smart, pretty, and downright decent."

Lily blushed in the face, not due to the alcohol this time.

"And because I've always fancied Potter," Camilla continued, "I've always resented you. But that's not fair. And you've always been rather kind to me. You didn't have to invite me to this party."

Lily shifted her feet a little before saying, "I'm glad you came though. I want you to have a good time. And I also want you to know that there's nothing going on between James and me. I mean, I have Connor and we're just now becoming… acquaintances."

Camilla laughed lightly. "I have to admit that is a relief to hear from you."

"He's all yours, Hun," Lily laughed. "You two seem pretty sweet together actually."

Camilla couldn't contain her smile. "He's not a bad guy," she said as she looked back at him finishing up his story. He was getting quite a positive response from them.

Lily watched him as he wiped his glasses of steam, smiling at his friends. She bit her lip and mumbled, "Yeah, he's not."

* * *

 _A/N - Again, it takes almost another month for me to get my shit together. I am so sorry that it has taken this long to update; I hope you aren't too mad with me if you've been waiting! Graduation and Writer's Block is not a good combo, but I am hoping to make a more consistent comeback soon! I hope you enjoyed - if you did, review, follow, and favorite please!_

 _XOXO,_

 _Rose_


	15. Chapter 15

**_A/N - Uh, citrus warning... lemonish warning... honestly, I don't know what to call it, but you've been warned for something or other._**

* * *

 **January 29** **th** **, 1977**

Dorcas Meadowes had only been in seventh floor boy's bathroom once, and that was last year when she shagged Dean O'Brien after the Gryffindor-Slytherin game. It was grimy and smelt like a locker room last time, but now, it looked like a wonderland for acid-high young adults. She walked in hesitantly, still rubbing sleep from her eyes, and tried not to gawk at the sight of her barely-clothed classmates. She never really expected for the whole beach or bubble theme to take, but it seemed like everyone was really enjoying the chance to flaunt and embrace the heat. Even though she had fucked Sirius Black once in a dark closet, she had never seen his abs before.

It's a shame she wasted her one-night stand with him while she was drunk and blind. Oh, well.

Since everyone else was displaying their nudist side, Dorcas felt a bit awkward showing up in jeans and a button down. She stayed by the entrance, away from the gazes of the students, and shimmied her jeans off and threw them over her shoulder. She undid the first few buttons of her blouse, but decided to keep it modest for now. And when the steam and heat became too much, she may or may not strip.

"You made it."

Dorcas looked up from slipping off her penny loafers and gulped at the sight. If she hadn't taken that nap earlier, she would've fainted at the sight perhaps. "I did…" she whispered as she picked up her shoes from the ground, coming closer to eye contact with Remus Lupin.

Although Dorcas knew that Remus had to be somewhat fit to survive lycanthropy, she was nearly stunned by the sight. He wore green swim trunks and a soaked white t-shirt, showing off chest and pectoral lines that were never recollected in his memory.

"Lily was looking for you," Remus continued, smiling bright as ever, "she thought you wouldn't show."

Dorcas shook her head, signifying no and shaking herself out of puppy-love porn. "My twenty minute nap turned into a two hour one," she explained. Her eyes peered the venue admirably, and she let out a soft chuckle, "I haven't missed too much, have I?"

"Oh, nothing much," Remus shrugged, "except Marlene's birthday striptease for Lily. James nearly had a stroke before charming her clothes to chase after her."

Dorcas let out a laugh, a hearty one at that. It was infectious, and Remus found it rather adorable. He never expected her to make such a giddy sound.

"Oh, I really wish I could've seen that," she breathed, wiping a tear off her cheek.

"You want to get a drink?" Remus asked after a moment.

"Most definitely."

The two students walked through the throngs of party-goers until they made it to to the makeshift bar, tended by Sirius. Two charmed stools slid over and right under their behinds. "Excellent service," murmured Dorcas, impressed.

"We aim to please, Meadowes," smirked Sirius as he threw a towel over his shoulder. "Good to see that you made it here. Not you though, Remus. You can leave anytime."

"Hilarious," Remus grumbled dryly as he took a sip of his own concotion.

The bartender re-focused on Dorcas and smiled, "What can I get you?"

"Fire whiskey, straight please."

Sirius gave an amused nod as he flicked his wand. The bottle poured itself into a plastic cup before "Ambitious now, aren't we?"

"That's one A-word for it," Dorcas muttered as she raised her glass to him. "Thanks, Black."

"Anytime," Sirius winked.

Remus' eyes shifted from Sirius to Dorcas, and he noted the slight smirk on her lips grow. He suddenly felt a queasy feeling in stomach, but ignored it with more liquor.

"So, Dorcas, how's your father?" Sirius continued.

Both Remus and Dorcas nearly spat out their drinks to their respective sides.

"What did you say to me?" She asked in a short tone.

"Just wondered what your family is like," shrugged Sirius, rubbing down the wet bar with his towel. "You know, small talk."

"Small talk," Dorcas repeated as she took another sip of her drink.

Remus gave Sirius a concealed, yet still clear look of annoyance and disappointment. He couldn't believe that he was trying to do this unnecessary interrogation here. The latter ignored him and continued,"Got a mum? Got siblings?"

"Yeah, I got a family," she nodded nonchalantly, keeping it short and to the point. "Cousins too if you must know."

Remus and Sirius exchanged glances, but said nothing. Both noticed Dorcas' clear desire to remain clear of this topic, but when did Sirius Black ever know when to stop?

"Awe come on, Meadowes," Sirius laughed, "You shag me once, and never let me speak to you again-"

"Fuck…" Remus scoffed as he pinched the bridge of his nose.

Dorcas let out a bark of a laugh. "This is what this is about, innit? Is Sirius Black actually upset that someone won't sleep with him again?"

Remus attempted to contain his smirk; attempted being the operative part of that sentence.

"Ha," Sirius let out simply, "Love, just because you're flexible does not mean that you're all that."

She ignored the blatant diss (and lie) and glared at Remus. "Are you in on this too? Trying to get me to talk to him and whatnot-"

"What? No!" Remus insisted. "I swear-"

"Dorcas!"

The three students shifted their glares away from one another to a bobbing redhead, followed by a Scottish blond and a tiny Korean girl. Remus silently thanked them for their perfect timing. He noticed the irritated look on Marlene's face, aimed at the smirking Sirius.

 _Idiot,_ Marlene mouthed, rolling her eyes.

"I'm so glad you made it!" laughed Lily, clearly high from her drunk. She rushed to give the brunette a tight hug.

'Yes," Dorcas nodded, "Sorry I was late."

"No, no, I'm super glad that you could make it," the birthday girl insisted. She clinked her own cup against Dorcas' and sang, "Bottoms up!"

All of the students cheered for Lily before downing their respective drinks. Lily let out a satisfied "ah" as she dropped her cup onto the bar. "More, Sirius!"

"And haven't I heard that before," Sirius teased, winking at Dorcas as he poured more tequila into Lily's cup.

"You're actually swine," Emmeline murmured as Marlene made a gagging sound.

"And this is our cue to leave the gentlemen, Ladies," Lily called as she took Dorcas' and Emmeline's hands. She stuck her tongue out at the guys and said, "Boys are gross." She lead the four girls over to bath and looked to Dorcas, "gone in yet?"

Dorcas shook her head. She hesitated before saying, "Looks lovely though."

"Come on in, then," Marlene smiled as she dropped the towel covering her shoulders.

The Slytherin watched as Emmeline followed suit. Even though the water did look like candied water, Dorcas did not find pools of water sweet in the slightest. "I'll just dip my feet in for now," she said as she plopped down at the edge.

Marlene leaned in all the way, letting her blond curls sway in the water. "It feels better than sex," she crooned.

Emmeline lifted an eyebrow. "Hun, when was the last time you got laid?"

Marlene grunted as she slid back against the edge of the pool. "Too long," she sighed, "it's probably been two-three months. My loins are on fire."

"Loins," cringed Dorcas, causing the girls to chuckle at the word.

"Terrible word," agreed Marlene, "but true. I could seriously use a shag. How was Sirius Black, Dorcas?" Marlene's honesty could be a blessing or a curse, or both.

"Where's the subtlety," Emm eline asked jokingly.

"Awe, come on," insisted Marlene. "Black has got quite the reputation, and although I may not be interested in experiencing myself, I am curious. Girls rave about him, which is a probably skewed assessment since most of the blokes at this school can't tell the difference between their own prick and a bloody pencil."

The girls laughed cheerfully, and luckily, the four girls were too giddy to even notice Peter take a picture of them. He had a feeling that Lily would appreciate a birthday scrapbook. She was definitely the sentimental type.

"Well," Marlene said, catching her breath from the laughter, "how was the shag?"

Dorcas rubbed the back of her neck. "Well, um, very considerate," she chuckled.

"Better than my brother?" The scotswoman teased.

Emmeline and Lily clutched each other, watching the drama unfold like it was a BBC episode. Dorcas let out another low chuckle and said in an honest voice, "I swear, McKinnon, I didn't sleep with your brother. We just snogged a bit."

Marlene shrugged, "I don't really care. Max does what he likes. Really got around while he was at Hogwarts."

Dorcas thought about this for a moment, and nodded, "I can see that. Handsome bloke."

"Speaking of getting around," Emmeline said absently since her head wasn't even faced towards them, "Look at our Mary!"

The three other girls looked up and to the other side of the bathroom. Shy Mary MacDonald was sitting on Caradoc Dearborn's lap, giggling as he whispered things into her ears.

Marlene pressed her hands to her heart and let out a long sigh, "Oh, they grow up so fast."

"Right before our eyes," Emmeline added, leaning her head onto Marlene's bony shoulder.

"She's like the baby of the group," Lily clarified to Dorcas.

"Ah," the brunette said, connecting two and two. "Oh, good for her. Dearborn is a good-looking bloke."

Lily looked back and watched Mary finally recieving the attention she deserved. Mary's face looked similar to that of a child's on Christmas morning; she was glowing. It must've been nice to feel that elated, and not because of fire whiskey.

Her eyes shifted to the dance floor and watched all the party-goers. Bijal Gupta might as well have been a vampire with the way she was attacking Tanya Pine's neck. Hey, Headgirls need to have a little fun too. Adrian Turner was even dancing with Hestia Jones, and he preferred nothing more than a quiet corner and a good book. It was a smashing time.

Lily was about to turn her head back to listen to her friends' discussion on Caradoc Dearborn's shoulders, but she caught a glimpse of a sight that seized her attention away. It was a flicker of a thing, and something she should not have paid any mind. Lily blamed her nosiness on the alcohol.

Camilla Henley had her hand tightly wrapped around James' as they danced wildly to Otis Redding's 'Try a Little Tenderness." Lily watched as James wrapped an arm around her waist and pulled her in close. She watched as he put a hand to her cheek and pulled her in, but Camilla pulled away right before their lips touched. The 5th year laughed - a real one that Lily hadn't seen since before Dirk's fall - and tugged on James' hand, walking out of the steamy bathroom together.

 _She takes advice quick,_ Lily's mind commented as she turned back around to her friends.

* * *

Leaving the steam room made all of James' skin shiver, except the hand that covered his. The combination of fire whiskey, pot, steam, and watching birds in bikinis made his head spin and his body tingle. Camilla's grip on his hand was firm as they made their way into an empty classroom.

James waved his wand to ensure the door was shut as Camilla began to suck on a sweet spot on his neck. Her hands wandered up and down his wet chest, and he swore to everything that he might loose his mind he doesn't get her on that desk just steps away. He let out a nervous chuckle as his hand wandered dangerously close to the waistband.

"Are you nervous, Potter?" Camilla asked, smiling into his neck.

"Don't get cocky now, Henley," he countered as he titled her chin to grasp her lips with his. She tasted like the ocean, and it suddenly felt like he was drowning. He had to get closer to her. So, he pushed her up against the teacher's desk, grabbing her arse through her thin swim dress to lift her onto the desk.

"Ooh," Camilla sighed, feeling him grind up against her.

James held her even tighter now, wanting to feel the vibration of every sound she uttered. His hand travelled from her ass to her hip to her inner thigh, and he was close to making her moan again. But, she grabbed his wrist and stopped moving her lips.

James' eyelids fluttered open and looked into hers. They were filled with lust, but also nervousness. "James…" She whispered.

"You alright?" He asked. "Do you want to stop?"

Camilla shook her head, just staring at his chest. "Quite the opposite," she chuckled after a moment, running her index finger along his collarbone. "I really want to do this."

"Me too," James agreed, peppering her neck with gentle kisses. "Me too."

Camilla pushed him back again and said, "But I only want to do this if you want to do this."

James leaned back and gave her an astonished sort-of look. "I do want to-"

"I mean really want to," she continued softly. She tucked a strand of hair behind her ear and whispered, "I've waited too long for this to be bullshite on your end."

If he were honest, James would admit that this conversation was a slight boner-killer. But, he wasn't going to be a prick about it. So, he did what he should do. He leaned down and pressed a tender and long kiss to her lips; het let one hand caress her cheek.

"No bullshite, Camilla," he whispered into their kiss, "Just you and me."

She let out his name in a breathy voice as James' hand slid in between their legs, pushing her bikini bottom to the side.

* * *

 **January 30** **th** **, 1977**

"Oh, Connor," Lily breathed, letting her head loll back. Merlin was she lucky to have the Headboy's head in between her legs, working magic with his tongue. He could always make her fall apart.

The party had ended a couple of hours ago, and students returned to their respective dorms. Lily herself ended up drunk in Connor's arms and returning to the Head's dorm. She didn't care about Marlene's snickers about legality gain, virginity loss. She just wanted to be as physically close to Connor as possible.

I mean, it was her bloody birthday for Agrippa's sake.

So, they ended up in Connor's room with clothes ripped off within minutes. And within seconds of that she was giving Connor some of the most serious oral. And, then vice-versa.

Lily's body tensed up as Connor bit her inner thigh. He began pressing kisses up her body, letting her come back from her orgasm. She let out a little chuckle as she grabbed a hold of his member, enjoying the noise he made.

"Lily…" he grunted, letting his hot breath fan over her ear. He leaned back, and his dark eyes were even darker due to the lust in the atmosphere. You could practically smell it.

And here they were. On his bed. Completely naked. Inches away from each other. She had thought of this moment for what seemed like forever, loosing her virginity. Every teenage girl does, in some capacity.

Mary couldn't give any advice, but the others could. Emmeline said it hurt like a bitch, but not to the point where she felt like she needed anesthetic. Marlene said to make sure that he gets you wetter than a grindylow. And just a few hours ago, Dorcas revealed, "Either way, you're going to be freaked out because some bloke is literally pounding away inside of you. So, just relax and let it happen… if that's what you want."

Lily felt her breath hitch as Connor inched towards her, moving slowly and delicately. "Lie back," he suggested softly. "It's best if you're comfortable."

She nodded nervously and did as she was told. She suddenly felt exposed, too naked and too raw. There was definitely an invisible spotlight on her right now, beaming on her right now.

Connor kissed her cheek softly as she held onto his shoulders. "Lil…" He whispered.

Oh, fuck. Was this going to hurt? Was she going to scream bloody murder for all the wrong reasons? Was she going to bleed? What if she wanted it back? What if it sucked? What if this was absolute bullocks?

"Lily…?"

What if Lily shouldn't be doing this with Connor?

"Lily," Connor said again, this time a little louder. His deep voice pulled her out of her spiral of doom.

Her eyes blinked a few times as she looked into her boyfriend's eyes. No longer were they filled with lust and passion, but now they were filled with concern and doubt. His thumb caressed her cheek and said, "Hey, we should stop, shouldn't we?"

Lily bit her lip and stayed quiet, not knowing how put together her thoughts. Merlin, now she was a mute, and Connor was looking at her with those big brown eyes and oh-so naked. What was wrong with her? Why did she feel wrong? Why couldn't she even speak?

Tears of frustration began formulating in her eye ducts. She blamed it on the copious amounts of alcohol she consumed moments earlier.

"Merlin, Lily, are you okay?" asked Merlin.

"I'm sorry, I'm sorry," she blubbered, covering her hands over her eyes.

"There's nothing to be sorry about, Lily, I promise," Connor insisted as he rolled off of her. He untucked the sheet and covered her naked state before grabbing his boxers off the floor. "I'm sorry, I shouldn't have let us get this far-"

"No, no," Lily argued, wiping her tears and sitting up. "I want to, Connor, I really do."

He bit his cheek doubtfully as he sat beside her. He put an arm around and kissed her head.

"It's just that I…" Lily knew that now she was bullshitting because she did not have an excuse for her hesitation in the slightest. Not that she needed one, but she would've preferred one. It would've made it all easier than following some overall gut-feeling.

Connor looked down at her, eyes filled with fear now. And something in his eyes made her chest tighten. She didn't know what the feeling was, but she felt his worry.

"I want it to be special," Lily whispered awkwardly, looking down at her hands folded in her lap. "I'm drunk, and I don't want to be a slob while doing this. I don't want to regret doing it like this."

She expected an angry response, or a sad response even. Instead, he just smiled and said, "We can do it whenever you want."

She paused. "You're not mad?"

"You want me to be mad?"

"No, no! I just thought you'd be put off at least…"

Connor kissed her tenderly and said, "I'm just lucky to be with you."

Lily thought the same, and then some. She was more than lucky to have a boyfriend like Connor, wait for her to be ready, no questions asked. Marlene explained that the first bloke she slept with was a complete arse about her virginity and kept pushing her into it when she wasn't ready. Lily knew it could've been worse, but somehow she still felt… empty.

"Thank you," Lily said, snuggling into his chest some more.

Connor rolled over her and pressed a kiss to her lips. "Happy Birthday, Lily," he whispered in between their kisses.

Tanya Pine rolled her shoulders back as she slipped out of the Head Dorm. She quietly headed up towards the Ravenclaw Tower, desperately hoping not to run into a prefect or a Professor like McGonagall. She had bright blue hickies covering her pale neck. That being said, the seventh year only had a few months of school left before heading to a Potions Internship in Hong Kong. So, who gave a shit if she got another detention?

The stairs moved accordingly as she trotted up the staircase. Although she was still warm and glowing from post-sex with the Head Girl, Tanya felt a rush of cold air. She let her blond hair down from her bun and found herself trotting up the stairs faster. After seven years of attending this school, Tanya felt that she should be able to walk through the Grand Staircase without getting freaked out. But that seemed impossible right about now.

Tanya snapped her head to look up at the top when she heard a bang; it sounded like glass shattering.

"Fuck this…" Tanya scoffed as she pulled out her wand from her back pocket. Thank Merlin for being seventeen and legally able to defend oneself. _"Lumos…"_ She whispered, letting the tip of her wand glow.

Tanya heard another clatter this time from one of the other corridors. She felt confident enough in her DADA skills, but she didn't even want to think about needing to use them right now. The war was outside these walls, not inside.

The third shatter was the loudest and closest by far, causing Tanya to snap her head. She thought of a quote her poet muggle mother used to say all the time: once is accident, two is to prove a point, and three is a pattern.

 _"Lumps Maxima,_ " Tanya cried out, causing the whole Grand Staircase to shine with white light. It blinded her for a second, but she swore to Merlin she saw figures… multiple shadowy figures. Some close, some far. One so close she could touch. Tanya prepped herself for a disarming spell, but before she could get ready, the figure pushed her. Hard. Down a flight of stairs.

* * *

 _A/N - LOL, it ain't even smut, but I feel weird about it! I haven't written anything like that in a minute. I hope this chapter was enjoyable; I know it was shorter, but lots and lots of content. Please review, favorite, and follow if it suits you._

 _XOXO,_

 _Rose_


	16. Chapter 16

**January 30** **th** **, 1977**

James Potter woke up feeling like a hundred silver sickles. Yes, sickles; not galleons.

He felt good, like after a positive Quidditch practice, but not like he had just won a game against Slytherin. His limbs were good and stretched, but not floating on cloud nine either. He had needed that shag more than he cared to admit, because it had been almost two months since he had gotten any before Camilla.

And it was better than James had expected, not that he expected much. Most girls in Hogwarts were in fact virgins, except his cousin, girls going steady, and the girls who didn't give a rat's arse about their count. He liked the latter kind the best, which turned out that Camilla fell under that said-category.

Camilla was not a jaded expert, but she was by no means chaste. She was tight and still gasped at the first time he slid into her, but she knew how to keep up. Perhaps there were one too many forced moans, or actual nail marks, but nothing he hadn't seen before. It was the best thing he could've asked for.

The only thing better would be Lily Evans offering to shag him in the nearest broom cupboard. But realistic dreams were sometimes sexier than wild, outlandish, completely impossible fantasies, right?

James felt like smacking himself in the face right then and there on the staircase, but stopped himself when he noticed the many nearby students, heading to breakfast. The imaginary angel on his shoulder tsked loudly, reminding him that it wasn't fair to compare Camilla to Lily.

Especially considering the way Camilla bent herself over the teacher's desk for him.

"Fuck," he let out quietly.

James knew his mates would already be at breakfast, awaiting to hear the details concerning last night's shag. But he was in no mood to discuss gonad interactions anymore. Not with Lily Evans burrowing into his unconscious.

So, the Quidditch captain decided to keep going straight instead of heading into the Great Hall for breakfast. He wrapped his cloak around him tightly and pushed open the door out to the courtyard. The air was nippy, and the ground had patches of dark snow laying around. It wasn't a pretty sight, but it was bearable as James sat on a bench right outside and pulled a cig out of his pocket. He lit and took a few puffs before releasing smoke, watching it mingle into the morning fog.

It was a peaceful moment, but just that: a moment. He was a third done before he heard intense nasal sounds coming from a distant bench in the courtyard. He leaned over to get a peek, not wanting to be obvious, but still curious because this was James Potter.

He nearly choked at the sight, and it was not because of the tobacco. Bijal Gupta was crying. The Head Girl was not known for her tears; she was a stern and disciplined young witch. She took her duties seriously and was not afraid to deduct points or give detentions to unruly students. James was often on the receiving end.

And because James had been victimized previously by Gupta's zero tolerance, he had no intentions of invading her crying session. She'd likely send him to a week of detention for seeing her in such a state.

But, he had never seen her so sad.

Before he knew it, James was walking up to the Head Girl. "Gupta, you all right?" He asked before he could stop himself. Maybe she wouldn't be a defensive crier. "You need anything?" He continued.

Bijal lifted her head. Her brown eyes were twinkling with tears, and her face was a bit puffy. It looked like she had been crying for a long time. "Shit, Potter," she cursed, sitting up a bit straighter. She wiped her sleeve across her eyes to remove the rest of the falling tears. She hiccuped before saying, "I'm fine."

James' eyebrows lifted; it was much tamer response. "Well, that's a debate," he said after a moment, earning him a glare.

"I'm fine," she repeated, trying harder this time.

"Fine," James said shortly, taking in a long inhale of cigarette, "is there anything I can get you then? A spot of tea? A book? Seems like you want to stay out here in the cold. Chasing hypothermia?"

"And you, lung cancer?" the Head Girl countered sharply.

"Keeps me thin."

"I should be biting your head off right about now," she continued, letting her natural glare show again. "You're a sixth year now, Potter, and the Quidditch Captain. You should have some responsibility and decency for the younger students- why the fuck are you giggling at me like a prepubescent school girl?"

"I am the cutest school girl," James said, trying to hide his laugh now. He smiled at her. "It's just nice to hear you sounding like you."

Bijal paused briefly before nodding, "Well, you're surprisingly good at doing that."

He shrugged. "Marlene McKinnon is my cousin."

She scoffed, "That's a lot of… emotions to deal with, I reckon."

"You have no idea," he agreed, sitting beside the Head Girl. "You want to talk about whatever is you _weren't_ crying about."

Bijal took a deep breath, looking up at the cloudy sky. She bit her lip and professed, like she were at some kind of confessional, "Something happened last night in the castle."

James' eyes widened, but said nothing. Instead of speaking, he chose to sit beside his peer and wait for her to continue.

She gave him an intense glare, causing him to sit up a bit straighter. "Don't tell anyone, Potter, or I swear to Merlin, I will send you to a week's worth of detention with Filch. Understood?"

"Cross my heart and hope to die," James agreed, but everyone should know that if you tell James Potter something, you might as well be telling the rest of the student Marauders.

* * *

Students swore Marlene McKinnon was either murdered, injured, or at least witnessed some sort of atrocity as she screamed at the Hufflepuff table during breakfast. But when nothing of the sort occurred, an air of annoyance shifted through the Hall. As students and staff glared, Marlene gave everyone a stern look. "Go back to your own business," she insisted, waving off the nosy eavesdroppers. She turned back to Lily, Mary, and Emmeline and let out a sigh, "You'd think they'd have something better to listen to, aye? Okay, Mary, proceed."

Mary MacDonald's cheeks were red hot due the intensity of her friends' stares and memories from the previous night. "It's not like we did anything major," she mumbled while using her glass to cool her face. "We just, you know, what'd the Americans say? Second base, third base? I always get it mixed up."

"Depends on what you did," Lily Evans smirked.

"Bases?" Emmeline Kim asked Marlene, "Military reference?"

"Who knows? Americans are mad, the whole lot of them," Marlene shrugged. "Mary, give us details. The nitty gritty, and don't leave out the size of his dangly bits."

Mary blushed harder and threw her balled-up napkin at her friend. She pouted before whispering, "He got a poke."

"That's my girl," Emmeline nodded proudly, patting Mary on the back.

The girls listened attentively as Mary relayed her night to them, all except Lily. She instead drifted into her own thoughts about her own pre-shag affair. Merlin, that was terrible. Crying like a drunken idiot and all because she can't bring herself to shag her boyfriend.

Lily didn't even know why she couldn't either.; that was the most frustrating part. Instead of sleeping, she just laid there, cuddled up in her boyfriend's arms, wondering why she tapped out? Connor was great though, because of course. Her boyfriend was perfect; he tucked her right into bed after bringing her water and a hangover potion for the morning. He gave her a peck before snuggling up right next to her and passing out. His kindness almost made her feel more guilty.

And Lily knew that was dumb in its own right. She felt like her emotions were back in first year flying lessons with Madam Hooch: up and down, up and down, up and then your ass to the grass.

The bell rang after a moment, snapping Lily out of her frustrations. She picked up her knapsack and slung it over her shoulder. All four of them had DADA on Monday mornings, and they like all the other Hogwarts students rushed through the entrance of the Great Hall to make it to their first period.

As the students entered the classroom, waiting for this year's DADA Professor, Thalia Novak, Lily noticed quite the lack of noise. Normally, the Marauders were doing something grandiose before sitting at desks for more than an hour. They had to get their jitters out somehow. This would constitute of jinxing something or someone, or charming something to entertain the lot. However, it was pretty quiet this Monday morning.

 _"_ Eerie," Lily murmured quietly, sitting in her own seat. Marlene sat beside Mary, as Emmeline slowly moved to sit beside her boyfriend. She watched Emmeline's rather bored face, as she said hello to him.

Robert Vance was a half-blood with average looks: dark-haired, caramel skin, and well-gelled black hair. He was in Ravenclaw and often kept his head in books or comics, never making much time for Emmeline anymore. She always used to say that he was so creative and unique, but recently, the Hufflepuff girl was fed-up with her Ravenclaw boyfriend. A few moments in, Lily noticed their weak conversation. She always thought that Emmeline was way out of Vance's lead.

Lily's concentration snapped when a large figure slid in next to her. When she figured it was James Potter, she scoffed, "Oh, yes, Potter, make yourself right at home."

"Don't mind if I do, Evans," he said, as he pulled out his textbooks.

"Why aren't you sitting next to your girlfriend?" She countered, jerking her head in Sirius' direction, who was partnered up with Remus.

"He switches between Remus and I pretty frequently," the Quidditch captain snapped. "Either way, we need to talk."

The serious tone in his voice made Lily gulp. His hazel eyes darkened with intensity, and she could tell that he was completely serious. And there were only three things that James really focused on recently: Marauder pranks, Quidditch, and finding out who Mason Nagut's child is.

"Merlin…" Lily said, punching the bridge of her nose. Before James could divulge the information, Professor Novak entered in hastily, spewing out pieces of knowledge for the students to take down.

* * *

"Is Pine okay?" Mary asked, her chin crinkling with fear. "I mean, will she be?"

"Gupta says she'll be all right," James revealed as the large group of students sat in the courtyard. "But, it was a nasty fall. Lots of bones to heal, so it'll take time."

Sirius Black lit a cigarette. "It'll probably take time for the emotional healing too. She probably won't forget what it's like to get pushed down a flight of stairs by blood supremacists," he offered.

The group sat in silence for a moment, letting it sink in that the anti-usupers have already two assaults on their hands. No one dared asked the question, besides Peter Pettigrew.

"Who's next?" He asked meekly, looking to his friends.

"My galleon is still on Dorcas," Sirius suggested.

The rest of the group let out aggravated sighs; they've heard this accusation one too many times.

"Give it a rest, Black," Marlene insisted, taking his cigarette right from his lips. She took a deep inhale and said, "Dorcas Meadowes has proved that she's only just a girl. A girl. She likes to hook-up and leave, smoke cigarettes, and apparently listen to punk rock like AC/DC."

"She also sleeps longer than the bloody Sandman," the dark-haired boy continued, trying to remain rational. He stole back his cigarette from Marlene and continued, "No one sleeps for that long."

"She has insomnia," Remus pointed out.

"Does anyone care to ask her why?" Sirius argued.

"Insomnia can be genetic," Lily suggested. "Maybe someone in her family has it?"

"Or maybe she has night terrors," Mary added.

Sirius snapped and pointed at Mary. "See? Did everyone hear that? Night terrors. Night terrors do not come to ordinary people, Mates."

"You've never had a nightmare before, Black?" Marlene asked doubtfully.

"Ha," Sirius let out a short mirthless laugh. "Love, you should've seen my family home. Of course, I know about them. And I know that night-to-night nightmares only occur to those with some serious bullshite on their hands or PTSD."

Lily raised an eyebrow. "You know about PTSD?"

"I did a lot of muggle reading to piss off my mum," Sirius shrugged, causing the rest of the group to chuckle rather quietly. "She either saw the worst in real life, or someone is _making_ her seeing something."

"Like ligilmens?" James thought aloud.

"Like ligilmens," Sirius repeated.

Remus sat a bit straighter, but chose to keep his mouth shut. To pre-occupy himself, he pulled out a joint and lit it.

"Wait, wait, wait," Marlene said, shaking her hands. "You reckon that Dorcas is Mason Nagut's child, and is using ligilmens on her. That makes no sense."

"And why not?"

"Because," Marlene said as if it were obvious, "if you remember correctly, the Prophet article cited Mason Nagut. And he wants his heir to be the next Dark Lord. Why would he be harming Dorcas through ligilmens if he wants her to be the next Dark ruler? That seems highly counterproductive, aye?"

"Or maybe it strengthens her in Nagut's eyes," countered Sirius, "I'm not saying it has to make sense because he's a bloody sociopath. For Merlin's sake, the monster tortured, raped, and killed women for fun. He's obviously fucking mental."

Sirius' friends cringed at the thought of Mason Nagut and cringed even harder when they all collectively thought of Dorcas being his child. There was no way, right? But then again, Sirius just proved that there was no way to tell either.

* * *

Dorcas Meadowes dreamt of Hell.

 _A dark cave-like place with bright red flames boiling human flesh; the smell and sight was horrific. She stood quietly, shaking but silent. Even though Dorcas preferred loneliness, she had never felt it like this before. Bones marked a pathway up to a bonfire-like place and on top, there was a burning screaming body._

 _Dorcas walked hesitantly up to the bones as he feet crunched against what felt like shards of glass. The heat was unbearable, and she felt the waves nearly push her back. But, she pushed her way through to see whose body lay burning before her._

 _It was a woman. A beautiful woman with long flowing brown hair, tan skin, and in a white loose dress. She screamed, reaching octaves that Dorcas could barely hear. But, what scared her more than that was that she recognized the screams. They were ones from her childhood, ones of terror and disgust._

 _And when Dorcas was close enough to finally get a look at the woman's face, Dorcas fell to her knees and screamed. She clutched her head and tried to push away from the image, apologizing as if it were her fault that the woman burned._

 _But then again, maybe it was Dorcas' fault. It was all Dorcas' fault._

"Dorcas! Dorcas!"

"I'm sorry," she begged, feeling her limbs fail against strong, yet wrinkly hands. "I'm sorry, I'm sorry."

"Open your eyes, Dorcas! Now!"

Dorcas did as she was told and found herself drenched in her own sweat and wrapped in her sheets. The hands on her shoulders belonged to the Headmaster of Hogwarts, whose blue eyes looked at her intensely, yet worriedly. She was panting, gasping onto air and reality.

Her blue eyes peered around the room and saw that her dorm mates were watching her with wide eyes: anxious, disgusted, and horrified by the sight of her.

"H-how long?" Dorcas asked shakily to her Headmaster.

Dumbledore put a hand on her shoulder and said, "Don't think about it, my dear. Let's get you some chocolate and some tea." He helped her up and put a blanket around her as they walked out.

The students didn't say anything outright as Dorcas left the dormitory, but she heard Lucinda Talkalot murmur to another Slytherin, "The mudblood was screaming for nearly twenty minutes, apologizing for someone's fucking death. She sure is mental all right."

Dorcas gulped as she followed Dumbledore, wondering when the Headmaster would stop protecting her… from whatever it is trying to rip her from the inside out.

* * *

 **February 1** **st** **, 1977**

"Got it from the outside," Sirius smirked as he dropped the Daily Prophet on James' bed. The Marauders, plus Lily and Marlene, sat in their dorm room in a circle. It was evening time, after classes and dinner, and Sirius had just come back from the Owlery.

"How'd you get it again?" asked Marlene, picking it up and flipping through the pages.

"My uncle," Sirius clarified, plopping on his own bed. Lily cocked an eyebrow, suspicious and curious. "He's dying and does not give a rat's arse about any type of censorship rules created by Dumbledore." He added a smirk towards the end.

"Found it!" Marlene smiled eagerly. She skimmed through it quickly; her sapphire eyes moving at a rapid rate. Her lips mouthed the words, but she said nothing.

James pushed her cousin on the head. "Share, you greedy git."

Marlene gave her cousin a leathel look and glared, "Don't touch my hair." She turned back to her newspaper, sitting a little straighter now as James rolled his eyes. She cleared her throat and read aloud:

 ** _Mason Nagut's Kiss_**

 **By Joanna Henley**

 _Today, February 1_ _st_ _, 1978, at roughly 12:23pm, Mason Nagut received the kiss from two dementors at Azkaban prison. Mason Nagut is an infamous wizard, and a Grindlewald fanatic who was known for his attacks against muggle women in the 1950s. After his latest breakout attempt, the Minister of Magic decided that this would be the best option for the sake of the wizarding and muggle community._

 _Reporters said that Nagut's final words were to his unknown heir. As reported last time, Mason Nagut is under the impression that he has an illegitimate heir, most likely a result of one of his attacks. He believed that this heir is more powerful and more pure than the Dark Lord himself. Here are his last words to his supposed child:_

 _"A time will come when our shared vision will come to light. You will make Grindlewald proud, you will make wizard-kind proud. Our race will rule, and it will be done by you. This is your prophecy, and this your legacy. Stay strong, stay driven, and stay pure. You are the ultimate, you are the future, my child."_

 _The kiss was administered straight afterwards. It is unknown if said-child does exist, and it is unlikely that he or she will hear his words. Either way, chances are the Dark Lord has heard this claim. It is unknown how it will affect the state of the magical world: a duel between two heirs._

Once Marlene finished, the six Gryffindor students all had the same response: "Fuck."

* * *

 _A/N - I hope you enjoyed this chapter! Things are getting pretty heated, I hope everyone enjoys the direction. Let me know what you think in the reviews! Or follow or favorite._

 _Enjoy!_

 _\- Rose_


	17. Chapter 17

**February 10** **th** **, 1977**

Sirius Black sat on the couch of the Gryffindor couch, reading the latest letter from his uncle. Alphard Black requested Sirius' presence at the final working of his will sometime in the next week, so that Sirius could know what was coming from him once the last decent Black passed on. He smirked at the last line: " _Your mum told me she would blast my face off the wall if I went through with adding you in in the will. In my reply, I blasted it off myself. It gave a little color to it, don't you think? Your uncle, Alphie._ "

At first, Sirius found himself rather amused with his uncle's gall, but that feeling quickly vanished when he realized that Uncle Alphard would not be with him for much longer. The remaining Black family members were all sadists, mentally unstable, or just plain old arses. I mean, Bellatrix was case and point for anti-inbreeding campaigns, but no one seemed to listen. They were defeaned by years of witches and wizards screaming blood supremacy. And then there was Bella's sister, Andromeda, who did her good work by leaving and forgetting the family for that Tonks chap. He hasn't seen that cousin since he was eleven years old at one of his mother's stuffy functions.

It felt rather chilly in the common room now, desolate and empty in a way. Sirius peered around the room, noticing only a few underclassmen studying for an upcoming History of Magic quiz. He wanted to tell them that there was no point to study for any of Binn's examinations because he tends to sleep during their administration. He noticed their intense stares, quiet whispers, and innocence.

Sirius remembered his first year, spending it with James and later Remus and Peter. He remembered their first, subpar set of pranks, their attempts at older students like Amara Brown and Jillian Kane, and their endless detentions with McGonagall, Slughorn, or Filch. He reminisced in it all.

"So much bloody easier," Sirius muttered to himself as he stuffed the letter in his pocket.

"What is?" a high-pitched voice asked behind him. He didn't even need to turn around to know that it was the bouncy, nosy blonde cousin of his best friend.

"Youth," Sirius smiled, mockingly as Marlene McKinnon came around the couch to plop beside him.

Now, a common misconception of Sirius Black is that he is a dog. He merely turns into one and often finds it amusing that most of the females in the school call him such. Despite all the faults to growing up as a Black, he was raised as a gentleman. He could speak Dead Latin and French; play the piano; and was well-versed in etiquette classes for Merlin's sake. He knew how to respect women, especially one's related to his friends.

Sirius tried not to stare at Marlene's long legs as she crossed the delicately. He did his best not to inhale too intensely, in fear of sniffing that aromatic perfume. And he really forced himself to look back at the fireplace when Marlene moved her blond curls to the other side of her face, showing off the creamy skin of her neck.

"Right you are," she agreed, "it was simpler then. Now, I worry about NEWTs, music, war, anti-usupers, and shagging. Merlin, I need one of those."

Sirius let out a quiet "hmmm…" as he picked up his Transfiguration textbook, idling his mind and hands away from Marlene McKinnon. He could resonate with her statement, because the last time he had a shag was with the angsty slytherin girl, who may or may not be the next of kin to an acclaimed sociopath, in a broom cupboard.

Marlene looked at him cautiously. "You seem… tense."

"I am," Sirius replied coolly.

"Anything I can help with?"

Sirius kept his mouth shut, but a small smirk grew on his lips, just barely. He chose to keep up his decent side for once, probably for the sake of James. "No, Love, I'll be fine. I just need a muscle-relaxant potion or an acupuncturist," he revealed after a moment.

"If you must know," Marlene smiled, "I am a fantastic masseuse." She put her hands up and wiggled her fingers.

Sirius' insides lit on fire, causing an uncomfortable spike in his stomach and some of his nether regions, not that he had any control over his hormones. "I'll pass," he said tersely.

"Awe come on, Sirius," she said, punching him in the arm. "I won't even charge you."

"How considerate."

"I aim to please."

Sirius wondered if Marlene knew the kind of effect she had on men. Her natural combativeness and flirtation always seemed to balance each other nicely. Also, the bird was easy on the eyes. "I'm sure you do," he muttered cheekily.

Marlene had a very good retort on the tip of her tongue, but it never vocalized as she was distracted by her best friend, Lily Evans.

"Marls," Lily said, patting her on the shoulder, "Em needs us."

"What for?" She questioned.

Lily looked weary as her gaze focused on Sirius. She turned back to Marlene and murmured, "It's about Vance."

Sirius let out a low whistle and asked, "Trouble in paradise?" He expected Lily to have a comeback, because Gingers always do. But when he was met with silence, Sirius sucked his teeth and said, "I'll go then. Cheers, ladies."

Marlene stood up and followed Lily outside of the common room. "Well, what happened?" She asked frantically.

"Emmeline had a vision," Lily replied as they began to trot down the Grand Staircase together.

Marlene's eyes widened. "No bloody way," she breathed, "she hasn't had one in months."

"Exactly," Lily nodded, "and she said it had to do with Robert. The parchment she used to send to me was stained with water droplets too, which I presume to be-"

"Teardrops?" Marlene finished. Lily nodded silently, which made the blond frown. "If he does anything to her, I swear to Merlin, I will rip his nose hairs out with my bare fingers."

Her friend scoffed, "That's my girl."

The two Gryffindors reached the basement of the Castle. They quietly turned corners and walked through corridors until they reached the kitchen. Marlene rapped her knuckle against the door a few times before calling out their friend's name.

After they knocked several times, Marlene called out, "Oy, Emmeline- Fuck, oh, hello, Mary."

Mary MacDonald appeared to be rather exhausted, Her glasses were pushed back above her hair, and there were heavy bags under her eyes. She looked up at her two taller friends and said, "She's a wee-bit…" There was a loud wail, causing the two Gryffindors' eyes to widen. Mary let out a sigh, "Sensitive. So, let's be on our nicest sides, okay?"

"I'm delightful," Marlene countered.

"Whatever you tell yourself to go to sleep, Marls," Mary murmured dryly as she opened the kitchen door to her friends.

Now, Marlene and Lily have seen a lot in their days at Hogwarts. In their third year, they saw James Potter jump off his broomstick to catch the quaffle in mid-air. In their first year, they saw their Head Boy and Head Girl (Arthur Weasley and Molly Prewett) snog in the pumpkin patch behind Hagrid's hut. And in their fifth year, they saw three ghosts play a round of Exploding Snap in the corridors. But, this may have been one of the strangest things they've ever seen.

House Elves baked delicious and colorful goodies: cakes, croissants, and cupcakes. They then lined them up on the counter for Emmeline Kim, whose head was tucked deep inside her arms as she cried loudly. One of the nicest Elves, Rosie, sat on the counter and patted Emmeline's hands gently, "There, there, Miss Emmy, it'll be all right."

"It won't be!" Emmeline wailed, snapping her head up. Her eyes were swollen with tears and darkened with hate. It seemed like Emmeline went to hell and back.

"Bloody hell," Marlene whispered, watching her friend aghast.

"Oh, Em," sighed Lily as she walked over to Emmeline's side. She gave her friend a tight hug from the back and asked, "What did you see?"

Emmeline wiped her tears with the back of her hand and opened her mouth to speak several times, but nothing came out. Only a few hiccups. Frustrated with herself, Emmeline pounded her fist onto the metal table, causing Rosie to jump with fright. "Fuck, Mary, can you tell them?"

Mary's eyebrows raised and lips pursed. She pushed her glasses down to be in front of her eyes. "You really want to me? You know I'm not the most eloquent when it comes to story-telling."

The other hufflepuff girl's chin wrinkled as she tried to open her mouth again, but instead, just began to wail again. Emmeline was a pretty girl, but Merlin, was she an ugly crier.

"Okay, Okay," Mary said quickly as she jumped to sit on the edge of the counter. She picked up a pumpkin cupcake and sighed, "I was with Dearborn."

Lily glared, while Marlene gave her a wink.

"And Emmeline sent me the same message as she did to you too," Mary began. "Now, I come down here and find her in this state. Em is in the same state as she is in now. And essentially what she tells me is that she has a vision while she's in bed-"

"I was s-so close to s-sleeping," Emmeline whined into her arms.

"A vision about Vance," Mary continued as she took a bite of a cupcake. She took a pause before saying, "Emmeline had a vision that Robert… er, shagged… Lucinda Talkalot."

"Oh, Wow," Marlene released without being able to stop herself. "Talkalot? Bloody hell, of all the fucking bitches in this school, he picks the mostly ghastly. Sheesh."

Emmeline perked up. "I know, right?! She looks like a petrified crow with that nose of hers. How could he?!" She let out a terrible scream as she throw a cupcake across the room.

"Okay, Rosie, can we move these please? So that Emmeline won't hit anyone with them," Lily requested, pushing away the edibles.

"Good idea, Miss Lily," agreed Rosie, doing her best to quickly move away anything that can be thrown.

Lily turned back to Emmeline and tried, in her most motherly voice, "You know, Em, you always tell us how your visions aren't necessarily true because time is always changing, which mean the future is too. So, it may not even come true, Love."

"Oh, but it means there is intention though!" Emmeline shouted hastily.

"Intention?" Marlene repeated.

"Oh, here she goes," Mary sighed, finishing her cupcake.

Emmeline stood up and removed Lily's hand from her back. "Even though it may not happen, it does mean that Robert has thought about it. He's thought about cheating on me."

"And you haven't?" Marlene whispered quietly.

Even though Emmeline heard, she chose to ignore. "And my first vision is back, after fucking months, and this is it. It has to be sign that this might happen."

"Emmeline…" Lily murmured, patting her hair softly. "You sound…" She couldn't find the words, or even speak them for that matter.

"Manic," Marlene offered, causing a punch from Mary. "Oy!"

"And I'm completely fine with that," Emmeline hissed. She wiped her tears and took a slice of the Firewhiskey cake with her barehands. "He won't get anymore fucking tears from me. No more fights, no more doubts, and no more idiotic fights with a boy who does not see what I'm worth! It's fucking over!"

Emmeline's three friends watched her, enraged, as she stuffed the fire whiskey baked-good into her mouth. They said nothing because truthfully, the girl needed to get it out.

"If he wants to shag other girls, then he can go ahead and shag other girls!" Emmeline finished irritably.

* * *

"Well, that was…" James Potter breathed, his chest heaving a little, as he slipped out of the Quidditch locker room shower. He slipped on his boxers, and Camilla Henley wrapped her arms around his waist. She pressed a soft kiss to his back.

"Magical," she giggled. She released him and slid on her own undergarments. "Locker room sex, that's a new one I must say."

James pressed a kiss to top of her soaking wet head. "We can do it much more often," he promised, sliding his jeans back on. He watched her as she dressed too. It has been his favorite part of being with her, watching her walk away from him. It sounded oddly masochist for narcissist like himself, but it was true.

Once they were both dressed for the cold Scotland weather, Camilla took his hand and let him lead her out of the Quidditch court. It was late at night, not that it ever bothered James, but it made Camilla rather nervous. He thought of showing her the Cloak, but then he thought better of it. Just because he liked Camilla (in his own special way) does not mean that she has rights to know about the cloak, map, or his animalistic side.

 _Maybe later,_ James thought.

"James…" Camilla whispered, stopping in her track. He looked down at her and asked what the matter was. "I think that's Greyson," she pointed to the entrance.

James narrowed his eyes at the entrance to the castle. He saw a dark figure, standing in Hogwarts robes with his arms crossed. It was like the first time he had come home drunk to his dad. "Fuck," he cursed.

If he didn't have Camilla clinging onto him, James could run back to the woods and stag out. He couldn't add another detention to his list. His mother would literally ground him for the entire summer, or worse when she found it would be due to sneaking around the grounds at night during war time.

"Potter, Henley," Connor Greyson called out. Once they got closer to the castle, they could see Connor clearly now. "It's a bit past your bedtime, don't ya think?" He checked an imaginary watch on his wrist before winking at the both of them.

Camilla tried her best not to giggle, but James remained silent. He clearly wasn't as amused as her, simply staring the Head Boy down. Of all the people to catch them, James never wanted Connor Greyson to reprimand him. The always content and cool Head Boy annoyed the Quidditch Captain endlessly, probably because he was a suck-up to McGonagall.

Of course, there was the blatant reason why James couldn't stand the sight of Connor, but he refused to even let the thought enter his brain.

"Are you going to deduct points for shagging, Greyson? That's pretty low for you," James noted dryly. "It's not happening for you and Evans, is it?"

Now, some sort of filter should have prevented James from uttering that sentence, but alas, there was none. They spilled out his mouth like a waterfall. He immediately regretted it when Camilla's hand tightened around him and when Connor's kind face tensed.

"It's just a joke, a poor one but I'm rather tired," James insisted, trying to wave it off. "So, just deduct points or give me detention. Leave Camilla out of it."

Connor raised an eyebrow and simply said, "Let's just get you lot upstairs, aye?" He stepped to the side to let the couple go past him, even though James refused to move.

"C'mon," Camilla hissed, giving James a rather intense glare that he has yet to encounter.

James eyed the Head Boy carefully. How could he always be so calm? So in control all the time? The thought seemed entirely foreign to James. He decided not to question it further, or push the Head Boy's incessant kindness.

"I can't let you go up alone, Potter," Connor explained, "If you make a pit-stop and someone else finds you, you'll be in a lot more trouble."

James ground his teeth; the bastard had a point. So, he nodded and walked ahead with Camilla. The walk through the castle was quiet and still, only their six feet clacking against the floor. The air became thick, and James has never felt more humiliated in his life. (Besides the one time that Sirius jinxed James' pants to run around the entire common room.) He felt like a first year as Connor followed him up the stairs. The perfect boyfriend would probably go run and tell Lily all about this incident, giving her another reason to hate James Potter, the squid.

"Soooo," Camilla sang, a bit awkwardly, trying to lighten the mood. "Do you have any plans for graduation, Greyson? Only a few more months left. Must be pretty exciting."

"Oh, er, well, yes, I do actually," Connor revealed hesitantly.

"Good for you," Camilla smiled, putting on her most cheerful attitude. James could practically smell her sweat, working her arse off to finesse. "What will you be doing?"

James noticed the silence, stemming from Connor's hesitation. He turned around and picked up on the ambivalent face the Head Boy had on as he stared at his own two feet.

"I'm going to America," Connor revealed in a quiet voice.

"America?" Camilla repeated, now genuinely curious. "The United States of America?"

James blinked a few times and nearly tripped over the stairs at this revelation. Questions flowed through his mind at a rapid rate, so fast that he couldn't process them.

Connor continued, "I got a job in New York City. It's an internship, specializing in the Dark Arts defense. They have a pretty big country and need lots of wizards to do their work. It's paid too."

"Merlin," Camilla gasped, "that's fantastic, Greyson! You should be proud of yourself!"

The Headboy smiled sheepishly. "Thanks, Henley."

James stopped in his tracks as Connor and Camilla passed him. They looked at him, watching his head tilt back and forth like he had a kink in his neck. After a moment, James looked up at the senior student. "Does Lily know?"

Connor sighed, "No."

"You know that's going to piss the hell out of her, if you don't tell her."

"I know."

"So, when are you going to do it?"

Camilla watched the intensity flare up in James' eyes. In the past week and half of their hook-ups, she hadn't seen this side to him. The serious side. A part of her was completely turned on because James Potter was fine as all hell, but the part that knew better felt her stomach knot into bloody cat's cradle.

Connor stood up a bit straighter and slid his hands into his pockets. He matched James' glare and narrowed his eyes. "I intend to Lily myself, if that's all right with you? He asked sarcastically.

James smirked, "Naturally."

"Please, Potter," Connor said earnestly, yet still in that annoy able cool fashion. "I know I'm not your favorite Head Boy on the planet-"

"Ha," James let out.

"- But I hope you respect my wish," Connor finished clearly. "She'd hate me even more if it came from someone else." He turned to Camilla and said, "I can trust you too, right?"

Camilla blinked. "Of course."

Connor smiled to the two underclassmen. "Smashing." Without another beat, he trudged ahead of James and Camilla. "Coming?" He asked, still facing forward.

The more-or-less couple exchanged glances before following him the upstairs. Camilla noticed James' still hardened face, but chose to keep quiet about this. She knew that he was thinking about Lily Evans, and she was running through his mind like it was field of flowers.

Three nights ago, Camilla decided to try something new. She revealed one of her insecurities towards James. She was honest about it, about her jealousy about Lily Evans. Everyone in the bloody school knew that James appreciated the sight of the ginger, at the least. It worried Camilla, and it was simple as that. James reacted as such, laughing at her a little, _"Does it make sense for a narcissist like myself to still be pinning after a girl who literally verbally and magically abuses me? No, Camilla, I'm not interested in Evans like that anymore… we're friends, sort of, now. But that's it. Nothing more, nothing less."_

It was a convincing speech, but so was Adolf Hitler's to a certain crowd at a certain time in history.

Camilla nearly slapped herself for mentally comparing her hook-up buddy to fucking Hitler. "Bloody hell," she muttered to herself.

"You all right?" James asked, knocking Camilla into reality.

"yeahtotallyImfine," she replied.

"Oh, are you now?"

She chuckled defeatedly, but still nodded. She didn't add to or correct her statement either as she moved faster up the stairs. She went so fast that she nearly head-butted into the Head Boy's solid and still back.

"Bullocks," she hissed, grabbing her head in pain. "Quick on your feet there, Greyson? I'm going to have a bump there- oh my God… James, James!"

James noticed the octave change in Camilla's voice and sped up the stairs to catch up to her on the sixth floor. She was holding her head still, but this time, her hands were cupping her eyes. Her breathing was labored, but at least present. He noticed Greyson's motionless body, frozen. He took Camilla into his arms when she reached out for him.

"What's wrong?"

"J-just look," she whispered.

The fear in Camilla's voice made his body tense. He did as he was told and peered over her head. Whatever part of his body that was relaxed now tensed against Camilla's shuddering body as he looked at the opposing brick wall. He wanted to tell Camilla that it would be all right, but James always hated liars.

A white banner hung against the castle wall. There was four symbols of the Dark Mark glowing in each corner. The text, large letters written in black paint, read:

 _Usupers of the HEIR will fall._

James could have mouthed the message thousands of time, and they would still taste like muggle candy rocks in his mouth. He looked around, expecting an accompanying unconscious body but was met with empty hallways. He rubbed Camilla's back once more before letting her go to move beside the still frozen Connor. "When do you think this went up? Do you or Dumbledore have any leads?" He asked hastily. "Greyson, have they left warning messages before?"

Connor didn't answer, simply stared as if his soul had left his body. "I have to report this to Dumbledore," he said.

James didn't like being evaded. Never meant anything good. "Greyson, this doesn't make sense with the past incidents. They've never left messages before." When Connor didn't care to comment, James straightened up. "Unless the radicals have," he added sharply.

Silence.

"Greyson!" James shouted, causing Camilla to jerk at the loudness. "Do you know who they're after?"

Silence again.

"I said, do you know who the radicals are after?"

Silence again.

"Bloody fucking hell, of course you know. And of course Dumbledore knows," James sighed, exasperated. He nearly knelt over and had an asthma attack, not that he had whatever-that-was (just heard of it once in a textbook). "Who is it?" He insisted.

"I… I can't tell you," Connor added, and although he hesitated, the look in his eyes still communicated his seriousness.

Not that seriousness of any sort stopped James before. "Are you kidding me?" He barked.

Connor turned to him slowly and said, "Does this seem like a funny topic to you, Potter?"

"My point exactly," James snapped. "Tell us who you think it is, and we could at least warn the target. I'm tying to help."

"I understand that, but it's better not concern yourself with this."

"You're mental if you don't think you need help this, Greyson. There's already been two attacks."

"And there will be no more."

"It's easy for us to say that," James scoffed. He pointed at Connor and added, "You, Camilla, and I all have some sort of magical ancestry. The muggleborn students are terrified that they'll be next."

"I know."

"Are you always this dull about everything?"

Connor closed his eyes and took a deep breath, composing himself to form a sentence.

"How are you this calm when it could be Lily next?" James jabbed. "It's not like these attackers know what the hell they're doing-"

Before James could complete his sentence, he found himself being rammed into the banister by the Head Boy. It was mainly the shock of the attack that put James at a disadvantage, but it still hurt like a bitch against his lower back. And hurt even more with Connor's forearm against his neck.

"Greyson!" Camilla shouted in the background. "Oh, fucking hell."

James saw something that he's never seen in the Head Boy's eyes before: intensity. He definitely wasn't scared of Connor Greyson and would never ever repeat this moment aloud again for the sake of his giant ego. It's just that James really thought that he was about to be thrown off the staircase. But it disappeared just as quickly as it had come.

Connor Greyson immediately pushed himself off of James and straightened himself up. He gulped and immediately said, "I'm sorry for doing that - it was out of line."

"Right," James nodded once, standing a bit straighter.

"I didn't hurt you, did I?"

The Quidditch Captain rolled his eyes. "An ego bruise never lasts."

Connor nodded and took that as the closest thing to acceptance. "But, I'm still not telling you who the alleged target may be," he said. "Both of you, go back to the tower, please. I have to report this to Dumbledore." He turned on his heel and headed back down the stairs. His footsteps echoing through the staircase.

Camilla approached James slowly. "Are you okay?"

James' attention was focused on Connor's fading presence. He turned to Camilla when she called for him again. "As long we don't mention this ever again," he said, giving a short faux-smile at the end.

"Fair," she mumbled as they began to head up the stairs.

"I wish he would've just given me detention," James groaned.

"Well, he's Connor Bloody Greyson," laughed Camilla. "Nicest guy on the planet. You pissed him off when he was spooked."

"He should've told us."

"Probably, yes, but he also has to think of Dumbledore."

"Dumbledore is going to have to warn the student. But we could've warned the students ourselves while Greyson went to report to big guy."

"Maybe he doesn't want to risk the chance of a middle man in the mix," Camilla offered. "It's risky to let students know too much about the group either way. Who knows what you might do if you found out it was someone you sleep next to?"

"Luckily, it's definitely not," James snapped.

Camilla cocked an eyebrow. "I didn't say it was any of your band, James," she replied in a short tone. She walked a little faster past him and up to the Fat Lady's portrait. " _Pumpkin Spice,_ " she revealed.

The Fat Lady jolted in her sleep and frowned at the two students. "It's very late," she yawned as she opened the door for the Gryffindors. "Off to bed, you lot."

Camilla stepped into the tower with James behind her. She looked back at him before they completely entered the common room and said coolly, "I'll see you whenever then."

"Aw, C'mon, Camilla," James whined. He pouted his lips, having learned that one from Sirius. "I know I was mean, but you know me, I'm like a child when I don't get what I want."

Camilla rolled her eyes. "Obviously."

"You're not too mad, right?" He added a wink for good measure. He saw a small smile creep onto her lips, softening for him. James tried to bring her into his arms, but she swerved past him.

"No, I'm not mad, but I'm not pleased either," she smirked. She gave him a wink. "Night, Potter," she said, turning around to skip up the stairs towards the girl's dormitory.

James scoffed and clicked his tongue. He always did have an ample appreciation from girls walking away from him. Perhaps that was a bit sadomasochist, but it was a nice sight indeed. Camilla had a fit body, and he can't believe that he was touching it only twenty minutes ago.

And, James still had to wrap his head around the fact that the group of wannabe death eaters switched up their M.O. It was like a fairytale, everything would happen in threes. James hated fairytales, so predictable.

"Potter?"

James snapped his head up and to the side where Lily Evans relaxed on the couch. She had a copy of _Witches of the World_ in her hand as the fireplace crackled, lighting her skin in reds and oranges. And that light feeling fluttered through his body again: the one he hated so much. It meant lack of control, and James Potter couldn't have that. "Didn't see you there, Evans."

Lily moved to stand up from the couch, and James let out a breath at the sight. He blamed his accelerated heartbeat on post-shag glow, warning signs, and nearly being beaten up by the Head Boy, but deep down James knew it was due to the fact that Lily wore a tiny pair of sleeping shorts and a loose tank top with nothing underneath.

"James, are you okay?" She asked quietly. Her green eyes filled with concern as she approached him. "You look like Hell."

"You look lovely too, Darling," he smirked forcefully. "Wait, what are you doing-"

James wished he had a bloody camera to remind himself of this moment every night before he slept, but alas, his luck was shite. Lily placed both hands on his cheeks and pulled his face down towards her lips.

 _Holy shite, holy shite, holy shite,_ the voice inside his head repeated.

Lily pressed her lips against his forehead and let out a curious "hm." She scratched the top of her head, but laughed when she saw the gobsmacked look on his face. "Oh, come now, James," she scoffed, "I thought we were just getting to the points of mates now."

"You kiss all your mates when worried?" He teased.

"It's better to detect someone's temperature with your lips rather than your hands."

"Well, you might want to check some other body parts too, just to double check- Ouch, ouch, okay, I deserved it," he said as he pushed Lily's flailing arms away. He let out soft chuckles too, amused by the brightness in her smile.

Lily put her hands on her hips when she was done with her assault. "But, seriously, James, are you all right? You seem a bit… off."

James leaned his head against the wall and peered up to gaze at the ceiling. He let out a long sigh as he briefly debated on ratting the Head Boy's behavior out to his girlfriend. It wasn't a very long debate either.

"Something happened, Lily," James said, turning to look into her eyes. "Something bad."

Lily gulped before leaning against the couch. She crossed her arms and bit her lip. James expected some sort of surprise in her face, but she looked tired more than anything. "Well, out with it," she shrugged.

* * *

 _A/N - Another chapter, hope you enjoyed. Let me know you're thoughts in the review, and follow/favorite if you'd like._

\- Rose


	18. Chapter 18

**February 12** **th** **, 1977**

For a day in the middle of February, the weather was quite decent. There was no wind, and the sun was even visible past the foggy clouds. Students took the opportunity to walk around outside, even just for a little. Days during the winter were spent mostly inside, cooped up with a cup of tea by the fireplace. Students had to take the chance for fresh air while they still could.

Remus Lupin decided to take this afternoon to himself. James was off with Camilla Henley, trying to recreate the Kama Sutra, while Sirius and Peter were studying in the library. Remus was caught up, even ahead of his upcoming assignments, and decided to take a stroll by the Black Lake. It was still frozen over, a few students ice-skating on it.

Remus found a spot by a tree and leaned his back against the bark. He pulled out a spliff and put it to his lips. When he reached for his wand beside his body, he instead found a soft hand.

"Oh, my bad- Dorcas?"

Dorcas Meadowes blinked her eyes a few times. She let out a tired yawn and noticed her new company. "Oh, hi, Remus," she breathed.

"What're you doing out here? Were you napping?" He asked worriedly.

Dorcas sat up straight and stretched her arms high, letting out a tiny yelp. It was cute, actually, like a baby's yawn. "Yes, yes, I was," she sighed, checking her watch. "Oh, that was a long one."

"I haven't seen you in class recently," Remus noted, observant as ever. "I mean, you pop up up for one, but then leave for the next period."

"Aw, a stalker," Dorcas teased, punching his arm lightly, "I've always wanted one."

Remus frowned as she chuckled to herself. He lit his spliff and grumbled, "You know, we are in most of the same classes."

"I'm just messing with you," she smiled. She paused for a moment, watching him smoke. She admired the faded scars on his face and neck; they added dimension to his face. Even though they must've been painful in the moment, they were mesmerizing in this moment.

Remus turned to Dorcas and asked, "So, what's been up with you?"

His persistence then ruined the moment. Dorcas let out a sigh, "You're bloody invasive, you know that, right? Can't we just sit here and enjoy the relatively nice weather."

Remus blushed and sucked in a bit too much of his spliff. He offered it to Dorcas, which she readily accepted. He beat his chest, trying not to cough, and said, "I consider you a friend, Dorcas. I'm just making sure that you're all right."

It was her turn to blush now. She let out the smoke slowly as she looked at the ground. "My insomnia is getting worse," she revealed.

Remus could see truth in that, just by the look on her face. The bags under her eyes were dark blue, like they were bruises. When he did see her walking around the castle, she was in a daze and moved around if she were sleepwalking. "How so?"

She pushed her hair out of her face and said, "Normally, a spliff or two can do the trick before bed. Dumbledore has even given me special permission to walk around the castle at night, if I need a smoke. But, in the past two weeks, my brain just… it doesn't stop."

Something about her tone resonated with Remus. He knew what sleepless nights could do to someone's psyche, let alone cognitive capacities for educational intake.

"And when I do sleep, it's never for long," she added in a grim voice, taking another hit before passing the spliff back.

"Nightmares?"

She faced his direction, but didn't look him in the eyes. "Yeah," she said quietly.

"Do you want to talk about them?"

Dorcas chuckled, "It's not them. It's… _it."_

He blew out the smoke from his lips, occupying his mouth because he didn't know what to say to that. He was quite knowledgable on nightmares; he was a living one. But, of all the night terrors, he's had, they've never been reoccurring. "It's only one?"

She nodded.

"That bad, aye?"

She nodded again.

"You can tell me, Dorcas."

There was a comfortable silence for a moment. It didn't take long for Remus to realize that Dorcas wasn't going to budge. He took another hit and passed it to her. With one hand, she took the spliff and she rested the other on the ground. He took his chance to show Dorcas that he could be trusted and put his hand over hers. She looked up at him with those deep blue eyes and let the smoke trickle up her face. She may have been having nightmares, but she looked like a dream to him.

"Read my mind," Remus offered.

She smiled. "I told you, Remus, I don't want to read your mind. You'll regret it. Whatever it is your trying to do though, I appreciate it. Telepathy is unnecessary."

"I just wanted to show you a nightmare of mine, one of the only recurring ones."

"It's better that I don't."

"Why's that?"

"I won't be able to stop myself."

"From what?"

Dorcas gulped as Remus rubbed his thumb over the back of her hand. Did he know he was doing that? She refused to look down at her hand though and kept eye contact. She inhaled sharply before saying, "Learning everything about you."

Remus looked down at their hands and lifted his off of hers. He hated how much that thought scared him, and hated it even more because Dorcas was the right one in this situation. He never wanted her to see those ugly sides - the times where he's taken lives and hurt innocents. "Maybe you're right," He murmured softly, "You won't like what you see."

Dorcas giggled, and he never thought he would ever hear that chime out of her mouth. "I don't think it's that," she said a bit breathy. Remus was too shocked by those words to respond. "I mean, some of it will be gruesome, I can only imagine. But, it's expected; you turn into a bloody wolf man at the stroke of midnight once a month." She passed him back the joint.

"And that doesn't horrify you?"

"No, it doesn't horrify me. I know that… that it's not you in there when turn into the other guy."

"Oh, do you now?"

"When we were younger," Dorcas said, a bit hesitantly, "I couldn't control my abilities as well. And we'd have class together those days after your transformations."

Remus ran a hand over his face before taking another hit. It shouldn't have been a shock to know that Dorcas probably knew more about him than his best friends or family knew. "You've known all this time," he grumbled.

"It doesn't scare me, Remus, I swear," she said, putting her hand back onto his. "I know that you felt incredible guilt and pain, and you don't deserve that. Just because a monster turned you doesn't that you are a monster."

Remus chuckled. He liked that, never heard that line before.

"The real monsters are the ones with no explanation, no thought, only rage," she finished as she lifted her hand off of his. "Just remember that the stomach-clenching feeling you get after you do something as the other guy is the part that keeps you alive and sane."

"It sounds from experience."

Dorcas leaned her head back against the tree. "It is," she said earnestly. "As a kid, I felt bad for being able to read people's minds. I felt… unwanted."

"Unwanted?" He passed her the joint.

She took a quick hit before explaining, "Imagine being able to listen to all of your friends' secret gossip and your siblings' inner monologues. I would answer before they could even ask; there was no consent on my end. I was too much. And my parents…" She trailed off, falling back into the daze of her own memory.

Remus thought of his parents. He thought of how his dad would help every night with the transformations, locking him up and tying him down. Whatever it took to make sure the beast wasn't released. He thought of his mother who would bake him different treats the next day and tend to his wounds. He was lucky and always knew that, but at least, his parents were involved in the wizarding world. They had access to professional guidance and potions, despite their being a stigma. And luckily, the Lupin family had the biggest help ever: Dumbledore.

With all of his own pain to reminisce on, Remus was unsure how Dorcas could've survived the muggle world as a Ligilimens.

"My mother…" Dorcas went on slowly, taking another hit, "thought I was Satan."

Remus let out an amused chuckle, but immediately shut up once he noticed the deadpanned expression on Dorcas' face. "She really believed that?"

She nodded. "My mother was a devout Roman Catholic. Church, the trinity, a list of unforgivable - all three hoops. My siblings and I all got communion-ed and whatnot, and for a while, I was into it. But, I could hear the priest's thoughts. And they sickened me. I told my mum too, but, she'd beat me for thinking such a thing about God and his disciples."

Remus had heard stories like this before. Late at night in the dorm room, Sirius Black would recount stories from his childhood that he'd laugh off, but would frighten and enrage James, Peter, and Remus. Anyone with a little bit of psychology background or common sense would know that Sirius often used denial to deal with his past and his parents. All Remus could think was the impact of one's beliefs, whether they were muggles or wizards.

"She would try to drown me in the bathtub with Holy Water and her bare hands," Dorcas revealed quietly.

Remus' eyes widened. Now, he had heard some shite before, but something about that image made his stomach twist into knots. What made him nearly throw up was the expressionless look on Dorcas' lovely face. "Was there anyone to… stop her?" He asked gingerly.

"My father," Dorcas announced.

 _There goes Sirius' theory,_ Remus thought.

"He's not particularly a soft or gentle man, but he's a just man," she finished off. "He made sure not to leave me with my mother alone for too long. I was always with a nanny."

"And your father was he religious too?"

She shook her head. "No, not really in comparison to my mum."

"Where's your mum now? London?"

Dorcas scoffed, "Highgate Cemetery."

How many surprises could one girl have in her family tree? Remus was inhaling when she replied to him, which caused him to hack on his spliff. "Bloody hell," Remus murmured, "I'm… My condolences."

"It's not your fault," Dorcas reminded him kindly, "it was a few years ago now."

"How old were you?"

"It was a month came to Hogwarts."

Remus stayed silent because there wasn't much to say besides a cuss words.

"When Dumbledore came a knocking and with a letter of acceptance back in '71, it was too much for my mum," Dorcas went on, "she really thought she had spawned the Devil. So, she killed herself. Drowned herself in Regent's Canal."

The dead look in Dorcas' eyes made Remus gulp. For years, Remus honestly thought his childhood was the worst. But, at least, his mother loved him with everything she had.

Dorcas let out a mirthless chuckle. "The trip's down memory lane aren't always pleasant for me," she sighed, "I hope I didn't depress you."

"Depress me?" repeated Remus, "I should be asking that question."

"Years of on-and-off again talk therapy fixed a lot of the issues," Dorcas countered, not that Remus believed her. "My siblings much more than I did."

"Siblings?"

"Yes, two brothers and one sister," nodded Dorcas. "All older."

"You're the baby?" laughed Remus. "Sorry, I'm not laughing at you. It's just that I never expected you to be the youngest. You seem more like an only child, which I was."

"It felt like it. Damian, the one right before me, was already five years older than me. They're all significantly closer. I was kind of, hm, unexpected."

"Unexpected?"

"Yeah, my parents didn't plan to have me, but alas, here I am today. Funny how fate works."

Remus' mind began racing a meter a minute. If he were on a broom, James would've recruited him by now. There was so much to everything that Dorcas just revealed. But all he could think was that his friend had been right all along.

"Funny, indeed."

* * *

"Come again, Moony? For the audience in the restricted section?" Sirius Black asked, cupping a hand around his ear. The Marauders and their female cohorts sat around a long table in a relatively empty section of the library. They were all supposed to be catching up on work, but that was quickly forgotten as Remus revealed his conversation with Dorcas from earlier.

"I said you're right," Remus grumbled impatiently.

"Again, so Madam Pince can hear you," Sirius barked.

"Are you going to keep acting like a bloody prat or are we going to move forward?" Emmeline snapped.

Sirius scowled at the girl. "Look, Kim, I only get these moments once in a full moon-"

(One could almost hear the actual sound of James and Remus rolling their eyes back. Peter thought it was rather clever and let out a quiet giggle.)

"- And I will not allow rushing to rid me of this chance," Sirius finished sternly. He looked back to Remus and bashed his long eyelashes. "Come again, my friend?"

Emmeline this time took the initiative to punch Sirius in the arm, causing him to welp. "You're an aggressive one, y'know that?"

"And if I were a man, you'd be calling me loyal."

"'Atta girl," Lily said, patting Emmeline on the shoulder like a proud mother. "Now, Remus, what were you saying about Dorcas? You think it's her now?"

"Yes," he answered gravely. "We were talking this morning out by the Lake. And she told me about her parents. There was something about the way she spoke about them that made me wonder."

"What? She revealed that she's a product of rape?" Emmeline asked curtly, causing everyone to stare at the Hufflepuff with wide eyes. She blushed. "That was inappropriate, sorry."

As the group veered their attention off of the still moody and heartbroken girl, Remus took a deep breath, "Dorcas' mum was an extremely devout Roman Catholic."

Lily and Mary let out low whistles while the rest stared, unsure of what that meant.

"Roman Catholicism is a religion, right?" Peter whispered to Marlene.

"Beats me," she shrugged indifferently, "muggle religion is its own category of crazy."

"It means that Dorcas' mum most likely did not have a good time knowing that her daughter was a witch," Mary clarified.

"That's putting it nicely," Remus added. "The childhood she told me about had my skin crawling."

Everyone knew what that meant, because lycanthropic childhood sounded like shite in comparison to almost anything else.

Lily had friends who were religious, and she had friends who had technically committed multiple sins. It seemed like too far of a stretch. "Just because she had religious parents doesn't mean that her mum was attacked by Mason Nagut-"

"Her mother tried to drown her in Holy Water."

Lily blinked twice. "I stand corrected," she mumbled, "I'm going to need a drink after hearing that."

Sirius leaned back in his chair, grinning like the Cheshire Cat. He propped his hands behind his head and sang, "I told ya so."

"I can't believe your smiling about someone else's downfall," Marlene grumbled, shaking her head.

"Doesn't matter because either way, we can now save Dorcas Meadowes," Sirius countered.

Mary let out a skeptical "hmm…" before asking, "Lupin, what did Meadowes say about her dad?"

The scarred Gryffindor clapped his hands. "Right!" he said, a bit too loudly, "Thank you, MacDonald for bringing me back on track. That's what I wanted to talk about."

"Stoner brain," Lily commented teasingly.

Remus ignored his fellow prefect and said, "Dorcas described her dad as a protective figure, almost. It seems like he wanted to be there, but couldn't. She mentioned that he put her with a nanny often."

"A sexy nanny would've been nice for my shite childhood," Sirius mentioned absently, causing another hit from Emmeline.

Remus continued, "Also, she has siblings who are five years a part."

"So?" Mary argued. "I have siblings six years a part."

"But those are from half-siblings," said Marlene.

"True."

"Also," Remus added, sitting up a bit straighter, "she said she was unexpected. An accident even."

There was a silence amongst the group; the only noise that could be heard was at an atomic level. You could maybe hear the cogs working hard in the brains.

"So," James said after a long time of being uncommonly quiet, "what you're thinking is that Dorcas wasn't an accident, she was a clear… mistake. You think mum got attacked by Nagut, couldn't have an abortion due to faith-based ideologies, found out her illegitimate daughter was a witch, and then beat her?"

The Marauders all looked to Remus, who eventually said, "Yeah, I guess. It sounds weirder when you put it like that."

James lifted and dropped his sturdy shoulders. "It could be true," he said doubtfully. "I don't know, Remus, it seems like a stretch."

"Or Remus is today's modern Sherlock Holmes," Sirius beamed, smacking his friend on the back like a proud father.

"I really don't want to be right about this," he murmured to himself.

"There's only one way to be sure," Sirius claimed. "Someone has to ask her if dad is her real dad."

"Smashing. Sounds like a piece of cake, aye?" Marlene countered sardonically. "I vote Sirius talks to her," Lily said, raising her hand. She gave Sirius her most diplomatic smile, which she practiced regularly on other bullies. "Anyone else agree?"

"Oh yes, please," Emmeline added ruefully.

"You have been advocating her as the heir since the first attack," Lily added, shamefully putting up her hand too.

As the only girl, Mary also put up her hand. "Sorry, kind of," she said, with only an ounce of regret.

Sirius turned to Marlene and glared, "You know that you are one of the most gorgeous, yet ugly human beings I know."

Marlene did nothing but smile and give a wink.

"Truthfully, for this to work accurately," Peter piped up, "it would be best if either Evans or McKinnon did it."

"No," Marlene said.

"Pardon?" Lily asked.

Peter flushed from the immediate rejection of his idea, but decided to carry on. It's what his friends would've done. "It's the most logical option. Marlene invited her to the New Year's party, and Lily invited her to her birthday. You two actually have a relationship with Meadowes."

"And shagging isn't a relationship?" Emmeline asked hotly.

"I think we can all say that shagging in a broom cupboard isn't a relationship," Peter remarked coolly.

Sirius looked to Remus and Peter. He took both of their hands into his and said in an overly choked-up voice, "I have never been so proud of you two in my entire life."

"Sod off," Remus hissed. Peter secrectly smiled, but didn't want to make it too obvious.

"Either way," James interjected, "someone has to talk to her."

The group of students began debating who would be best the contender once again. The conversation lasted several minutes and ended up being between Lily and Sirius. As the students talked, Lily meandered back to her homework, or at least pretended to. She aimlessly skimmed through her DADA theories, but none of it stuck.

Lily had no intention to be the one to talk to Dorcas. How would she go about constructing a proper sentence about her sadistic mother and absent father? Lily couldn't relate, only sympathize. Her parents showered her with love, confidence, and strength; they were thrilled by the news of her being a witch. She couldn't even imagine what Dorcas must feel like a normal basis, to go through the motions of life with all the hate she's already seen at seventeen.

"Well, we could tonight."

Lily's head snapped up from her work. She recognized the voice because she spent most of her life with that voice: doing homework, telling jokes, and apologies. Even though she knew she shouldn't, Lily still turned her head to see what Severus Snape was up to.

The dark-haired boy whom she used to call her best mate was talking to Mariah Avery in a hurried fashion. She could barely make out what they were discussing over the voices of her own friends.

"But tomorrow would be perfect," insisted Avery, almost nagging. Merlin, was her voice screechy.

"Tomorrow would be obvious," Snape spat as if he were talking to a brainless monkey. "You remember what tomorrow is, don't you?"

"Of course, I do," Avery said, flipping her long blond hair. "But, doesn't the idea of it happening then just make your heart beat out of your chest."

"Yes, with anxiety of being caught."

"Awe, you're no fun, Snape."

"We all can't have daddies who will bail us out of suspension, expulsion, or Azkaban."

Lily tried to look back at her own work, or even her own friends, but her attention was just too focused. What the hell were the talking about that would land them in Azkaban?

But, just like that, asking stupid questions internally can make things just click sometimes.

"No bleeding way…" Lily whispered softly.

"What?" James asked, looking down at the ginger from the rest of his bickering friends.

Lily didn't reply because she was trying to pick up on what she missed from the conversation.

"Think of how proud _he_ will be of us," Avery continued darkly. There was a intense glare in her eyes that made Lily actually scared of Mariah Avery for a moment. "We will be rewarded."

"And if we are caught, we will be killed. I'm not risking my life for him or for his stupid imaginative rival."

And with that, Lily knew. In exactly fifty-two seconds, Lily's life changed. She knew too much now and all from her ex-friend. Severus Snape was a lot of things: arrogant, stifling, dismal, and even dark at times. But, he wasn't a killer.

Or maybe the boy whom she used to play on the swings with was finally erased by his new friends. The hero in her couldn't just let that slide.

"And where are you going?" James asked once Lily stood up from her seat abruptly. "Oy, Lily!"

Lily's feet guided her over to Snape and Avery a few aisles over now. It took some time before they noticed her approach.

"What the hell do you want, Evans?" Avery snapped.

"What are you two planning?" Lily asked, not even trying to be subtle. There was really nothing about her that was subtle to begin with.

"I beg pardon?" Snape asked. He used that cool voice; Lily knew it all too well. She had heard him use it on James or harsh professors when he felt threatened or bored.

"If you two don't think it's obvious that you two are conspiring against an unknown heir to Voldemort-"

"How dare you speak his name," Avery barked, standing a bit taller than the Gryffindor now.

Lily was not one to be scared however. She simply smirked. "So, you admit that you're the ones after Nagut's heir?"

The Slytherins exchanged glances. "How do you know about Nagut?" Snape asked, narrowing his eyes at her.

"You're not the only one good at sticking their noses in places they shouldn't," Lily retorted hotly.

"Wow, the Marauders have really be rubbing off on you," Snape scoffed. "What's next? Primal pranks on first years? Drowning kittens?"

"They don't do that anymore," Lily defended earnestly, "not that I can say the same for you."

"You're out of your mind."

"You two, and your friends probably, should be locked up for the things you've done. It's sick, and I can't believe that Dumbledore hasn't figured you out yet."

Lily tried to keep her voice calm, but it just wasn't working. Her friends noticed her tense physique. Remus, Sirius, and Marlene took the initiative to stand up, while James took it upon himself to actually walk up to the situation. He didn't interfere, because he knew that Lily Evans could handle herself with a wand. Shite, how many times has he been on the other end?

Snape and Avery stood up a little taller. The male glared at the Gryffindor Captain before back down at Lily. "We have no idea what you're talking about," he claimed, using the same cool tone.

"No," Lily demanded as she clenched her fists. "Don't speak to me like an idiot. I know what you're up to."

Avery let out a sinister laugh. "Even if you did tell someone, no one would believe you, mudblood. Or your friends for that matter. Especially not MacDonald, aye? Not after last year's stunt."

That was the last straw, insult, and racist remark that Lily could take. Make all the jokes you want to about Lily, but don't talk about her friends. To James' surprise, she did put her curse-happy hand on her wand, but instead did something he had never seen before.

Lily Evans punched Mariah Avery in the nose.

There were low whistles and gasps from all the students who could catch a glimpse of the one-of-a-kind scene. Even her friends were shocked. Angel Evans versus Queen Bitch Avery.

It took Snape a minute to move to even offer consolation to his hunched over friend.

"I'm tired of you fucking facist, insecure, and pathetic blood supremacists," Lily spat, still clenching her fist by her side. "You follow a man who uses fear and hate against people who have done nothing to him. And you are using the same tactics he would to scare students and children. You're no better than your parents and are never changing. I guess that's what happens when you inbreed-"

Avery turned around and whisked her wand in Lily's direction. Now, Lily shouldn't have doubted Avery, because you should never doubt your opponent. But, the ginger had seen Avery during their practical lessons before, and there was nothing special. She was completely unaware that Avery could use nonverbal magic so well.

The spell, whatever it was, put Lily in the air and into the closest bookcase. The books crashed and tumbled down onto her, causing students to scream and scramble out of the way. Before the case itself could fall, James grabbed Lily by her entire forearm and pulled her out of the way and into her arms. But, she didn't wait for long before scrambling out of James's grasp.

"Lily, STOP!"

Lily pulled out her wand and whisked it fluently, hitting Avery with a white light from her wand. She let out a terrible shriek and immediately hid her face into her hands.

"I'LL KILL YOU, EVANS!" Avery cried, bending over her stomach so no one could see the damage.

"Oh, please, do try," Lily countered breathlessly, before nearly loosing her balance from being hit with that spell.

Avery looked up from her hands. A few by standing students snickered at the sight. Sirius Black and Peter Pettigrew let full out laughs, slapping their knees even. Mary MacDonald never liked to laugh at people's pain, but she'd make an exception for Mariah Avery.

The Slytherin's face was puffy and swollen. Her eyes turned to slits, and she looked like she just had the most intense allergic reaction to a bee hive attack. "J-just remember, Evans," she warned, "you started this."

"No, Avery," Lily said as Madam Pince marched onto the scene, steam pouring from her eyes, "you did. Both of you."

Snape didn't say anything, just watched as Lily let James Potter hold her steady by the waist so she wouldn't fall. He wanted to scream and shout, but Madam Pince already had that area covered.

* * *

"You deserve two medals," James laughed, bringing over a glass of water to Lily's hospital bed. "One for the hex, and one for the punch."

Lily chuckled softly, but instantly stopped. "Sorry, laughing hurts." The damage from Avery's spell was much more powerful than originally thought. Not only did it force Lily to slam into a hard bookshelf, but it also left her insides rather shaky. Madam Pomfrey provided Lily was strong healing potions, but also insisted that Lily stay the night to make sure there was no internal bruising or bleeding. Her head hurt maybe as much as the stinging hex hurt Avery. It's the least she could hope for.

"Well, I'll try to be as dull as possible," smirked James. "But I could always get your boyfriend for that."

Lily frowned, but didn't say anything. "Thanks for helping me to the Hospital Wing."

"Of course," James said, sitting on the edge of her bed. "It was the least you deserved. I should've stepped in."

"No, you shouldn't have, because Sirius, Peter, Marlene, Emmeline, and maybe even Remus would've joined in," countered Lily. "And that would be just unfair."

"What's unfair is that you get a week's worth of detention," he grumbled. "That's shite."

"At least, no points were taken off," Lily said as she took a small sip of water.

"Really?" James asked. "That's your upside? Thank Merlin we still may have a chance at the House Cup?"

"There are some things I take pride in," Lily countered haughtily. Not even she could take herself seriously as she let out a weak laugh, which James joined in on.

"And look where it's gotten you."

"I don't regret it," she argued. "Not one bit. James, it's them. It's Avery and Snape who're attacking the muggleborns. They're going to attack Dorcas next."

"I know, I know," James said, his voice becoming flatter. "We should've known it was them. I mean, Avery and Mulciber are always destined for cruelty. And Snape…"

"As is Snape," Lily said, looking to the side. "He's lost now. No one could change him now."

James honestly never thought he would've ever hear those words came out of that sweet mouth.

"You can't save everyone, Lily."

At first, Lily wanted to argue with him. She wanted to scream that she could, that he could with just the right argument or persuasion. But today she saw how false that belief was. The way Severus looked at her, like she was nothing but an insect, and the way he talked to her, like she was just anyone else.

"You're right," she said softly, wiping away an oncoming tear.

James put a hand on her blanketed calf. "But, you can save those who want to be," he offered calmly. "You're so good at that, Evans, you always have been: consoling scared first years, being friends with Snape in the beginning, opening up to me even."

"I might regret that one," she smirked, looking at him sideways.

"Yeah, well, you're stuck with me now."

"I guess there are worse people to be stuck to."

"I'm sorry, did you just flatter me? Call the _Prophet!"_

"You don't even read the _Prophet."_

 _"_ If it means the whole wizarding world know that you just flattered me, sure, I'll put this story in the _Prophet._ It'll make headlines."

"Don't get excited."

"Oh, but I must. Lily Evans just complimented."

"More like back-hand complimented."

"Look, I'll take what I can get."

"Ooh, under-achievement is never a good sign."

"Only an overachiever would say that."

"I am not a suck-up!"

"Whoa, defensive. Didn't say you were."

James and Lily went back and forth like this for the next twenty minutes, with little to no rest. It was actually quite a peaceful site, considering all the damage they've encountered in the past two months. The afternoon light shone through the tainted glass, illuminating their smiling faces. No one was in there to bother them. (Dumbledore suggested separating the Gryffindors from the Slytherins.)

But that doesn't mean that no one was there. The moment gossip spread about Evans v. Avery fight in the Library, Connor Greyson raced to the infirmary to find his girlfriend. He wanted to hug and protect her, but that was already being done by the time he got there.

Connor expected it to hurt more, seeing them together. James Potter had been after Lily Evans since the middle of his fourth year, and no matter what he said, James was still probably into her. Greyson hated him for it, and he thought that Lily felt the same.

But that smile said otherwise. The lightness in her green eyes said otherwise. Everything about them said otherwise.

"You know, she hates him, right?" Caradoc Dearborn offered his friend, putting his hand on his shoulder. "He was the one to take her to infirmary because he was the one to make sure she didn't get hit by the bookcase. Although they may be chummy-ish now, Mary assures me that she still hates him."

Connor scoffed. "Nah, she doesn't."

* * *

 _A/N - Things are turning. May be one of my favorite chapters thus far. I hope you enjoyed. Please give some feedback via reviews, follows, or favorites. Anything works!_

 _\- Rose_


	19. Chapter 19

**February 13** **th** **, 1977**

Emmeline Kim preferred her mornings quiet and in solitude. Although she was one of the more energetic Hufflepuffs in her year, she still prided herself in her laid-back and fair persona.

Unless it involved her ex-boyfriend Robert Vance. Then, she was downright manic-depressive. But she wasn't thinking about him right now, or ever for that matter.

Like every morning, regardless of the fact that it was a lazy sunday, Emmeline woke up at six o'clock sharp. She beat the sun and made herself a cup of jasmine tea. Once she slid into her clothes, she left the common room and hiked her way up to the Astronomy Tower. She tried to make it there at least once a week, if not more. It was a time that she could clear her head of impurities and insecurities, and ever since she began doing this (towards the end of her third year), she found herself happier.

Sometimes Robert would join Emmeline, and they would shag with the sunrise. But, not anymore.

Once the Hufflepuff found her spot, she crossed her legs and closed her eyes. She concentrated on her breath - the relentless yet soothing in and out. The flow of her oxygen intake put her into a trance-like state, and Emmeline appreciated the way each inhale and exhale lifted her out of the confinements of her own body. This tactic always helped the witch hone in on our gift of sight. And now that she had one vision after her nearly four-month lull, she refused to ever let it vanish like that again.

It took practice though. When Emmeline saw the vision of her ex-boyfriend shagging the prissy Slytherin bitch, Lucinda Talkalot, it had taken a few hours of practice for even a ten-second vision. And that was quite the repulsive image.

But, Emmeline kept at it. She focused on her breathing only. When her mind would trail off, which was nearly inevitable, she'd remind herself of her task and gently bring herself back to her concentration.

It had almost been an hour when Emmeline decided that maybe two visions in one week may be pushing her supernatural capacities. She clenched her jaw and was nearly about release herself from her own trance when something pulled her back, like gravity keeping her to the earth.

Her mind became blurry of visions, like a fast-forwarded version of a family slide show. Emmeline couldn't grasp onto any specific image; she had to let it come to her. She tightened her fists as the feeling made her stomach nauseous, but she knew it would be soon.

And it was soon.

Emmeline found herself in a field of grass, surrounded by tall brown walls. It smelt like rain and sweat, and after a moment of utter silence, there were screams coming from the sky. She looked up and found herself in the Quidditch field, watching her peers zoom around the sky. She saw Ravenclaw colors clash against the Slytherins' colors. Within a second, she found herself cheering. Quidditch always brought out Emmeline's most competitive side, stemming from the fact that she wish she were a natural flier.

But, then she stopped because the fan-screaming stopped. It quickly transformed into shrieks of horror and fear. She looked to the stands and students (and even faculty) were pointing in horror. Emmeline squinted her eyes to get a better look, which was not a good one since she was so low. However, you knew what was happening from a kilometer away once you got a glimpse of the tragedy in the sky.

Dorcas Meadowes, as if she were possessed by some demon, was lifted off her broomstick and into the air. She hung there, like she was a statement or an exhibition. The players stopped and just stared at her in shock, before the unconscious girl was dropped to the ground.

Emmeline didn't get the chance to see if Meadowes landed on the ground or if a teacher magically caught her mid-drop. Her mind flashed different pictures again rapidly and before she knew it, Emmeline was in the same spot she was in the Astronomy Tower. Her breathing was short, no longer following the same rhythmic flow when she meditated. She pressed a hand to forehead and noticed the sparse droplets of sweat forming at her brow.

"Fuck," She panted, standing up. She wobbled a bit before she straightened up and exited the tower. Emmeline knew she had to warn her friends about the next attack.

* * *

"Come on, O'Harris!" shouted Fabian Prewett, attacking the second-year with pieces of colorful pieces of parchment; some were blue and bronze, and the others were green and silver. "Who are you going to bet on? The nerds or the racists?"

Joe O'Harris, a second year Gryffindor, gawked at the senior with wide eyes and blubbering mouth. He and his group of friends were currently surrounded by the gigantic and slightly intimidating Prewett twins.

"Ravenclaw has Xavier Lovegood," Gideon Prewett offered. "He's a mighty strategic Captain, despite not being all up their in the cabeza."

"Or you could pick Slytherin," smirked Fabian. He bent down to the twelve year-olds' level and said, as if telling the juiciest of secrets, "The only reason you want to put your money on them is for Dorcas Meadowes. I mean that. Talkalot Leadership is new."

"The girl's got quite an arm," Gideon added, showing off his own bicep.

"And a nice pair of wooblies, if you know what I mean," Fabian added with a wink.

"Oy!"

The twins both lost their concentration when the back of their heads were met with loud smacks. They both rubbed their heads and glared at the tiny prefect who would commit such an act.

"Stop haggling the students," Lily Evans glared. If looks could kill, the Prewett twins would've been dead five years ago.

Fabian rolled his eyes. "Evans, you'd be so much more fun if you lived a little."

"Living and bribing galleons out of second-years are two very different things, Prewett."

"According to you."

It was Lily's turn to roll her eyes, before she waved the twins away. Gideon maintained an indifferent look and re-focused on his money, while Fabian grumbled something rather crude. She looked down at the students and said, "Neither team is too good."

"It's because Gryffindors are the best, right?" smiled Spencer Brown, a small boy whose voice still reminded Lily that of a baby's.

"Yeah, we have Potter as our captain," agreed O'Harris, who seemed to finally find his voice. "And Black and Jones as upperclassmen!"

"Exactly," she winked before leaving the students to finish their breakfasts.

Quidditch Games always stirred something in the air, Lily noticed. Everyone was more talkative and cherry before the game, even if it wasn't your house playing. Lily, herself, enjoyed Quidditch, but mainly as a community gathering. She could never do it herself, because she knew that her body was meant to be close to the ground. However, she had to admit watching some players fly through the air like it was nothing was pretty cool.

Although Lily was making her rounds as prefect, she decided to stop by her friends section as they chatted and ate. And of course, it was about Quidditch.

"You must be out of your fucking mind," Marlene Mckinnon said coolly as she took a sip of her pumpkin juice.

"You know what I've noticed, Marlene," Remus Lupin said in an equally calm voice as he set his muffin down. "You tend to curse more when you feel threatened."

Peter Pettigrew and Sirius Black let out immature chuckles. James just clapped his hands together, enjoying the bickering session that for once did not involve himself.

"Threatened?" Marlene scoffed, flipping her blond curls out of her face. "Me feel fucking threatened? Over my clan's rotting bodies. Fucking rubbish."

Remus raised an eyebrow. "See what I mean?"

Marlene glared and just sipped more on her pumpkin juice, while her friends laughed.

"Why are you lot attacking my friend?" Lily asked coyishly, putting her hands on her hips. "Do I have to deduct points? And from a fellow prefect."

"Oh, my savior!" Marlene cried dramatically as she wrapped her arms around Lily.

Remus put his hands up and said, "Just pointing out some of our friend's behaviors, that's all."

"We're talking about Quidditch," James informed Lily, giving her a wave. "Who'd you think is going to win today?"

"You're going to the match?" Lily asked.

"I always go," the Gryffindor captain said as if it were obvious. "The best time to take notes on training. Like formations and tactics."

Marlene, who finally released her friend, chuckled, "You're such a Quidditch groupie."

"There's nothing wrong with loving a sport."

"True," his cousin agreed, "but you, James Potter, are morbidly and unequivocally obsessed."

The speckled Gryffindor shrugged, because those words were nothing new to him. Also, they may have had an ounce of truth to them. Maybe.

"I don't know," Lily said, still mulling over the possibilities in her head. "The Prewetts were just trying to get the second years to bet, but made some pretty good points. Love good is by far a better captain than Talkalot."

"Anyone is better than Talkalot," Sirius laughed.

"Yes, but that's only true because Vanity dropped out to be Gold Digger," Lily clarified. "She may be brilliant for all we now."

"You have to be a good speaker to be a captain," Sirius continued, "not only speak about yourself."

"And do I need to remind you who your captain is again?" Lily countered teasingly.

The Marauders and Marlene let out "ooh"'s and chuckles. Sirius even patted Lily on the back for her solid diss at James, who just kept picking at his eggs. He looked up at her, unfazed by Lily's joke and simply said, "That's why I didn't get the job until this year."

"Oh come on, James," Lily laughed, "You still probably snog with your own reflection."

"What thirteen year-old didn't snog with their own reflection?"

"Me," Marlene and Lily both said together.

James scoffed, but said nothing. Sirius chirped up for him and said, "Well, Peter hasn't either, so I don't know what you're trying to prove, Ladies."

"Hey!" Peter whined.

The group laughed together and enjoyed the moment of normalacy at their school for witchcraft and wizardry. It did not last long because tiny Emmeline came running up to them.

"What got your panties in a bunch?" Marlene asked since she was the first one to notice her friend's labored breathing.

"V-vision," Emmeline stammered as she plopped down next to Peter. He offered her a goblet of water to catch her breath. 'Thanks," she said before gulping the whole thing down.

"Vision?" Sirius repeated. "I thought you were going… ah…well, I don't know what the fuck to call it… is blind suitable blind?"

Marlene gave Sirius the 'are you stupid' look? In the past two months, he's been receiving those mocking looks daily. He had half a mind to smack it right off her face, or kiss her face to death. He was still deciding.

"In a way," Emmeline shrugged, "but, they've been coming back. And I just saw something that you lot need to hear." She relayed the information on her vision in a matter of sentences, trying to be as concise and detailed at the same time. She didn't allow herself to be distracted by their shocked expressions either. By the time Emmeline finished, she was out of breath again.

Sirius looked to Remus with a blank face. "You're up, Mate," he said, clapping his friend's back once.

"Me?" Remus replied. "I thought we voted on you."

"Let's not revisit that pointless debate we had in the library. It was interrupted might I remind you."

Lily slammed her hands on the dinning table, causing plates and utensils to shake. It was a formidable slam for someone with chicken legs for arms. "Stop! We are not going to waste time playing Tag."

"What's Tag?" Emmeline whispered to Marlene.

"Muggle games have strange titles," Marlene observed.

"We are going to figure out who is the best candidate to do this, because Dorcas is actually already getting ready for the game. We're running out of time" Lily added quickly.

"Well," Peter began meekly, raising his hand like he was in class, "you two are the only ones with access to the Quidditch Pitch." He was pointing at James and Sirius. "So, it has to be one of you."

Sirius caressed the bridge of his nose and looked to his friends with his biggest puppy eyes. "Don't let her punch me again," he begged dramatically, whispering for effect. "This work of art can only take so much."

Marlene rolled her eyes. "You'll live for a few hours with a skewed nose; Madam Pomfrey will surely fix it. Now, just do it. You're the closest to her by default."

James watched his best mate and cousin bicker like a married couple, but just for a moment. Without a word, he stood up from his seat and jogged away. He didn't even look back when Lily called out his name.

The Quidditch Captain didn't stop until he left the castle and passed through the courtyard, which he slightly regretted due to his darkened lungs. (He needed to stop smoking with Sirius.) By the time he reached the pitch, he was gasping for the cold February air.

Madam Hooch always set up a defensive charm prior to a game - an invisible dome. It was a strong one and only the captains of each team knew it. The professor believed in quiet time before a game. James provided the password as he tapped his wand against the dome four times. With granted access, the dome provided a tall yet narrow passage for James to enter.

He didn't even check to see if Hooch was around to scold him and just ran up the staircase to the locker room area. James passed by nervous Hufflepuff students and wished them all luck. Naturally, he was rooting yellow over green. He passed by the Hufflepuffs' entrance and then slowed down once he reached the Slytherin area. A childish part of him wanted to set off a water charm in their room, and yes, he was still bitter about their win against Gryffindor back in November. But, he pushed aside his ego for once in his life.

James was even about to knock on the door like a bloody gentleman, but was interrupted by it opening on its own accord. On the other side was a petite brunette with a wide mouth, sleek ponytail, and a captain's badge planted on the breast of her dark green robes.

"What the hell are you doing here, Potter?" Lucinda Talkalot spat, looking him up-and-down.

James could've said a lot of things, but chose to say the wrong one. "Good to see you too, Talkalot," he lied, "I hope you don't fall off your broomstick today. February winds are _ghastly_."

Talkalot frowned at the boy, but said nothing. She was nosy and loud-mouthed, but she wasn't stupid.

"I need to talk to Meadowes," James added, less dramatically.

Talkalot scoffed. "Well, when you find her, let me know that I need to talk to her too."

He cocked an eyebrow. "You mean she's not here? They're opening the doom within the hour."

"No shite, Blood Traitor," she countered, flipping her ponytail back. "Now, will you leave us alone. If you find the mudblood, let her know that if she's not here in the next fifteen minutes, she's off the team."

James clenched his fist. He's never really had the impulse to hit a woman before, but suddenly, the urge was at the tip of his fingers. "You know you don't mean that," he said. "She's one of the best Beaters the school has seen in the past decade." He actually regretted adding his two-cents in. He couldn't help it sometimes, and it was the truth. But, wouldn't Talkalot kicking off Meadowes off the team solve serval issues?

The Slytherin opened her mouth to disagree, because that was the witch's nature, but instead, she just sucked her teeth. "Goodbye, Potter," she said curtly before slamming the door on the Gryffindor.

James turned on his heel and decided to make his way back down the stairs. Maybe Dorcas slept in, or maybe she was too ill to play today? It seems unlikely that a dedicated Beater wouldn't tell their captain if they were too sick. Or, maybe Dorcas had already been in the locker room. He wouldn't blame the witch if she stepped out of the presence of her teammates. Who knew what it would be like to be on a team with everyone hating you? How could she even survive on a team like that?

It took a moment for James to realize that it was probably the former captain, Emma Vanity, that kept everything under-wraps. James's chest clenched for the Slytherin, which he never thought would pass though his mind. Just thinking about it made him need a smoke.

Beat.

Well, that was a convenient association.

"Bloody stupid," James groaned as he rushed down the staircase, "you're so bloody stupid, Potter." He ran out of the tented stadium once he reached the bottom. He performed the exiting spell upon the Dome, which opened up the same passage through.

James did the same thing before games - a smoke to clear his mind. He'd watch it trickle and disappear into the sky, and James imagined himself doing the same when he would fly into the sky with his team. Dorcas read the Quibbler; maybe she felt the same about smoking.

And for a moment James knew it as wishful thinking, but then he saw a dark haired ponytail by a faraway tree. It was far enough that Madam Hooch wouldn't check, but close enough to the Pitch. He trotted over and called out to the Slytherin, "Oy, Meadowes!"

Dorcas Meadowes froze, probably afraid of it being Madam Hooch's voice. It was deep enough for a freight. She squinted her eyes and asked, "Potter? Is that you?"

James stopped running when he finally reached her and plopped down in front of her. "I've never run for a bird before," he said after a few labored breaths.

"I'm flattered," she said dryly. She dug into her pocket and pulled out her cigarette tin. He noticed the half-angel half-devil painted on the front, and immediately remembered Remus' retelling of Dorcas' story. "Want one?" She offered.

"Why yes, I would," James smiled, reaching out to pick a cig out. "Pre-rolled, very nice." He lit it with his wand and took a deep inhale.

Dorcas eyed her acquaintance as she took slow drags, using the silence to figure out why James Potter would run after her. It definitely was not just for a cigarette. She thought of letting down her mental wall, but thought better of it. "Potter, you're not too good at small talk," she said, "so let's just get this over with, shall we?"

"Can't I come wish you good luck?" He chuckled. She could practically smell his anxiety.

She snorted. "This should go down in the record books: _February 1977, Captain James Potter wishes Slytherin Beater Good Luck!_ Madam Hooch will use to inspire camaraderie."

James couldn't help but laugh at that. "I'm rather obvious, aren't I?" he asked.

"More obvious than your crush on Evans."

"I'm not into her."

"Oh, sure. And I'm in the House that I should be. Anymore alternative truths to spew about?"

James wiped a hand over his face. Never has speaking to a girl been so hard, not even with Lily. Where was he supposed to start? James didn't think about that question when he ran in place of his best mate. There was less of a chance for James to be punched by Dorcas Meadowes than Sirius.

"Er," James mumbled, forming words with his lips like a fish out of water. "Ah… Well… it's a funny story, actually…"

"I'm dying to hear," she deadpanned.

James took a deep breath and closed his eyes. He looked to Dorcas, right into those piercing blue eyes and said, "Don't play today, Meadowes."

She remained motionless for what felt like a long time. She removed the cigarette from her lips and let out a puff of smoke. "And why the fuck would I do that?"

"I see the way you are in class, or rather when you show up to class," James started, not looking her in the eyes either anymore. He focused on the grass instead. "You're sick, fatigued, or whatever the hell is going on with you. Either way, you are not well enough to play today."

Dorcas let out a silent "wow," before blinking a few times.

"I'm not kidding, Meadowes-"

"Oh, the only one you're kidding is yourself if you really think that I'm not going to play today."

"Dorcas," he said in a stern voice that definitely surprised Dorcas, "Trust me, it's not safe… for you. Talkalot is going to tell you the same thing."

Dorcas frowned, "This isn't about my health."

"Of course, it is," James insisted. "You might faint or something!"

"And that's none of your concern."

James let out an irritated groan. "My friends care about you. Lily cares about you. Sirius cares for you, in a way. And Remus, well, he definitely wants you on the safer side, or by his side. Whatever works. And they're worried about you falling off your broomstick as a blugger hits your head."

Dorcas knew feigned concerned. I mean, her mother tried her hardest for a long time to pretend she didn't hate her whenever they were in the same room. It didn't work well on her mother's end, but at least, Dorcas learned to pick up on body language cues. And the way James was ruffling his hair was not a good sign.

"You're lying to me," Dorcas murmured.

"No, I'm not," he countered instantly. "I care about you too."

Dorcas decided that wasn't a lie; the glare in his hazel eyes was intense. "You're omitting something though." She tossed the butt of her cig and said through clenched teeth, "What aren't you telling me, Potter?"

"N-nothing, Meadowes!" James found himself wavering. Although he was a good liar, he wasn't a good consistent liar. It was hard for James to keep up a story, which is why he never preferred to lie unless it was absolutely necessary.

"Tell me," she hissed.

"Nothing to tell," he insisted.

Dorcas felt like kicking something, trying to control her emotions from lashing out at James Potter. And rage could make Dorcas incredibly messy. It made her tunnel-vision, and she couldn't even think straight. She just needed to know what the nosy Gryffindor was hiding, needed to know that he didn't know her secrets.

So, Dorcas Meadowes did something she has not done in a very long time: She let her wall down. Actually, she kicked it down with full force as if she were beating it down. And bloody hell did it hurt. It was like being drowned by the pressure of a broken dam. James' stream of consciousness, anything at the front of the bloke's mind, was now hers. Just like that.

 _Oh shit, why is she looking at me like that? Merlin, her eyes are big. Stop staring, Meadowes. Mum never told you it was rude to stare, aye?… oh, well, her mum wasn't best examples of maternal sensitivity._

Dorcas' eyes widened to the size of plates - fire red plates. She leaned forward, too close to his face. From an outside perspective it looked like an intimate setting between two students, but in reality it was rather uncomfortable for James. He could practically feel her breath against his lips. Under different circumstances and if he didn't know Dorcas Meadowes, this could've been rather nice. He watched her closely as she laid a hand onto his cheek.

 _What the fuck is she doing? Is she mental? Oh, Merlin, don't let Camilla walk in on this. She's always fucking triggerhappy._

Dorcas let out a groan and shut her eyes. She tightened them to point of tears, concentrating on getting further into James Potter's mind. She searched through his memories. She saw his one-on-one encounters with Camilla Henley late at night in broom cupboards. She could even sense that he would be rooting for Hufflepuff today, as expected. And Dorcas could also tell that Lily Evans still preoccupied most of James' thoughts. While she was digging, she heard something that grabbed her attention.

 _Oh, Remus is going to be livid if she finds out. This has got to end._

"Fancy the incoming stubble?" James asked. "I've been working on it." He was laying on the charm, and Dorcas could tell.

She popped her eyes almost, still fixated on James. She didn't remove her hand as she asked, "What happens if I find out?"

It was James' turn to be speechless; if his jaw weren't connected to his face, it would be on the ground. His gaze fixed onto her hand, and his brow furrowed.

Before James could ask what she meant, Dorcas shouted, "What am I going to find out, Potter?"

"You read my mind," James whispered, still in awe. "You… you can perform ligilmens."

Dorcas gulped. The witch was positive that Remus had spilled his secret to the Marauders about her telepathy. But, maybe Potter didn't know. Maybe, like always, she was being paranoid and assuming the worst. And thus, making it worse again.

"I-I'm sorry," Dorcas said hurriedly, standing up in the process too. Her chest began clenching, suddenly making it difficult to breathe. She may have just outed herself to one of the most popular prats in school. So, she did what she did best.

Dorcas ran.

James scrambled to get up. "Wait, Meadowes!"

"Just leave me alone, Potter," she called out, not looking back at him.

"You shouldn't play!" He tried again, trying to catch up to her. But Meadowes was fast. How does the bird smoke so much and still maintain that stamina. She didn't listen as she tapped into the Pitch andean towards the tented staircase.

James nearly caught her before the Dome closed on them. "Meadowes, just listen to me!" He shouted, but she was out of sight. He took off his glasses and rubbed his eyes before shouting a litany of curses. He may have let one of the worst accidents in Hogwarts History just occur.

* * *

"Bloody fucking shite of Agrippa!"

Connor Greyson paced throughout an empty classroom, practically singing common English curses for the past four minutes and twenty-eight seconds. In the Great Hall, he had asked Lily to meet him here once she was finished passing out schedules for the incoming week. It shouldn't be weird to ask your girlfriend to meet up, but Lily always knew when something was wrong. Connor could tell by the glint in her eyes that she could sense something was fishy about her boyfriend's request.

Because it wasn't just fishy; it was more a kin to that of the giant squid that lurks about in the Black Lake.

Eventually, when his legs became tired, he sat on the edge of the teacher's desk. Connor let out a long sigh. Although he has never smoked a cigarette, he felt awfully inclined to do so now. The wait was practically shaking him a part.

Luckily, it was not much longer when Lily popped her head into Classroom 1A. She had a bright smile on as per usual and was no longer in her uniform. She changed into something more casual and comfy: jeans, a navy blue knit sweater, boots, and thick trench coat to weather the February cold.

"Hi," she said, running up to Connor. She gave him a kiss on the cheek before examining his apparel. "Aren't you going to the game?"

"Er," Connor hesitated as he looked down at his clothes. It was expected that Heads show up to every game, despite him not feel liking it at all. "I am, but I still have to change."

"Well, let's get you ready," she exclaimed, pulling him towards the exit by the arm. She was like a mother herding her child out the door for a school day. Always kind, always caring. It was too much for Connor.

"Lily, stop!" Connor demanded, pulling his arm out of her grasp. The octave of his voice not only surprised Lily, but also Connor too. "Sorry," he said immediately, "I didn't mean to raise my voice at you."

The redhead looked unsure of what to say, so she remained quiet. She approached a desk and leaned her back against it. "So," Lily said after a long pause, crossing her arms over her chest. "What is it that you wanted to talk about?" She thought whatever they were to discuss, it would've been mundane enough to talk about while preparing for the game. The fact that it wasn't - at least according to Connor - unnerved her.

The Head Boy took a deep breath and rubbed the back of his sore neck. No words followed.

"Connor," Lily said, softer. 'What's wrong? You're making me anxious."

"It's hard to explain, Lily," he sighed. He didn't want to overcomplicate things, but it seemed like they were already there. He had so many things to say, so he started with the most neutral and most honest: "I got into the American Program."

"That's fantastic!" Lily gasped. She rushed over to Connor and gave him a tight hug. She was so ecstatic for him that she didn't even notice his stiff posture. She twinkled her bright eyes at him and said, "I knew you'd make it! Oh, I'm so happy for you… but you don't look too happy for yourself."

"I am," Connor piped up. "I am, trust me. It's everything I've ever wanted for me and my family."

Lily raised an eyebrow. "Then why do you look like you just got an Azkaban entrance notice?"

This was going to be the hard part. He dropped his head, staring only at the skinniness of his polished shoes. The unsettling atmosphere was finally becoming too great for him, so he had to say it. "It means, I leave in June."

"Yes…" Lily agreed slowly, not quite seeing what that meant. "That's when the program starts."

"And," Connor added, this time looking up, "I won't know when I'm returning."

"Oh." There was another long pause. The silence filled the space with pins and needles, neither student felt quite safe. "Oh," she said again, putting it together. "You… you're concerned about the future… our future."

"Yes," Connor said, glad he dated a clever witch instead of a daft one who'd take eons to figure out what he had meant by that.

Lily was at a loss for words, because what the fuck do you say to that?

"I mean, you must've expected it. You knew I was applying to this program and what it meant for me. Surely, you must've understood that I won't be coming back."

"I-I did," Lily said, trying to assert herself but failing. She was still thinking too hard, letting off steam like a train engine. "I just… It just didn't click, y'know?"

Connor nodded in agreement. Another wave of silence filled the air as the two thought about their futures and each other. Suddenly, a peaceful end to the term seemed unlikely.

"What do you want to do?" Lily asked. The question made Connor's face drop and his eyes veer away from hers. "You already have something planned," she observed.

 _And the time has come,_ the walrus said, _to speak of many things_. Connor always liked the quote as a child, but hated how he thought of it now. He looked up and said, "Wouldn't it just be easier to end it now?"

The straightforwardness in his tone surprised Lily. Her boyfriend was normally gentle and soft-spoken. He enjoyed beating around the bush, not plowing right through it. And even though the thought of being broken up with bruised her ego, she had to admit: she didn't feel sad.

"I mean, we could spend the last three months together," Connor continued rambling. "But, I don't think that's what either one of us want to do, but correct me if I'm wrong. I… I want to spend my last few months with probably more than one person, or just one person who actually wants me."

That snapped Lily's attention like a twig. She narrowed her eyes at him. "I beg your pardon?" She asked, trying not to sound curt.

"No, no," Connor sighed, "I didn't mean it like that. It's just that… well, I know how you really feel about me, Lily."

"Oh, do share," the girl spat, feeling oddly defensive.

Connor could see Lily's anger about sing, like a boiling teapot. He should've found a way to phrase it better, but he was getting antsy too. "I know that I care more about you than you care about me," he said simply.

"And how would you possibly reckon that? Are you in my head now?" Lily barked. "Merlin, Connor, don't put your insecurities on me if we're breaking up."

"Okay! Tell me, Lily Evans, and be honest," Connor countered, trying to keep his voice leveled, "would you rather be with me if I'm going to leave indefinitely in a few months or be happy?"

Lily opened her mouth to protest, but she couldn't because that would be a lie.

"See?" Connor motioned. "I know you better than you think I do. I see the way you look at him."

He may as well have smacked Lily in the face with that one. "What?" She asked, shell-shocked.

"Potter," Connor said, as if it were obvious. "Back before break, I saw it changing. I saw the way you look at each other-"

"All right, don't get ahead of yourself," she interrupted, "just because I don't glare Potter down anymore with potential hex threats doesn't mean that I fancy him! And Potter has stopped fancying me for a while. He's with Henley."

"And he's using her - consciously or not - to get over you, Lily."

"That's ludicrous."

"Is it? Is it so ludicrous that maybe James Potter did get over you, but only enough to get closer to you? He's changed too, and I think that was to get your attention. I bet he didn't even tell you I nearly punched him in the throat and shoved him off the Staircase."

"HE WHAT?" She shouted.

Connor scoffed and looked up to the ceiling as if he were going to converse with God. "I told you," he mumbled.

"Why in Agrippa's name would you do that?" Lily shouted, throwing her hands up. "Oh my God, you could've gotten suspended and expelled. Say goodbye to your Head Position for that matter. And your internship."

"It doesn't matter why I did it," He said impatiently. "The point is that I did it; I gave Potter every reason to go running to you, blaming me for his potential downfall He would get to be the Knight to you that he's always wanted."

Lily frowned. "I don't want a Knight."

"And Potter is aware of that," Connor said gently. He watched as Lily tilted her head in confusion. Before she responded, Connor went on, "He knew that you wouldn't be impressed by his tattle-tell and decided to keep his mouth shut instead."

She looked away from Connor's gaze and bit her lip. There were too many feelings stirring inside of her mind that she couldn't properly verbalize.

"Potter cares about you," Connor said as if he were commenting on the weather. "And you care about him."

"Stop saying that," she whispered. It almost sounded like a plea. She looked up at him and said, "Is this what you want?"

Connor paused before nodding his head. He watched as Lily let out a defeated sigh, or was it a scoff? "I want both of us to stop lying to ourselves that this relationship is working," he clarified. He leaned down and was about to press a kiss to her lips, but she turned away. Instead, he pecked her cheek. "You'll thank me for this one day… I hope," he whispered as he turned his back on Lily and walked out.

Lily didn't watch him walk out; she was still processing all of Connor's words. She felt like she was dropped into a Pollock painting; nothing was making sense. But, Emotional processing would have to come later, after she makes sure that Dorcas doesn't fall from the sky. When she finally moved from her spot, Lily let out a quiet scoff. "Me? Seriously fancy James? Ha," she mocked as she slammed the classroom door behind her.

* * *

 _A/N - I know some of you must ecstatic with this chapter (those Anti-Connor/Camilla readers!). It was time for Connor and Lily to take their leave. I personally enjoyed Emmeline's portion and Dorcas/James interaction. Please let me know your thoughts with a review, follow, or a favorite - they do mean a lot to me! Hope you enjoyed!_

 _Rose_


	20. Chapter 20

**Still Febuary 13** **th** **, 1977**

"And then, Meadowes gave me this look. This weird look. I fuck you not, Mates, it's like she was going to eat me or snog me, and I don't know which!" James Potter nearly shouted. His friends jumped back a little because of the loud decibel, but truthfully, they should've expected it at this point. As he relayed his thirty-five minute ago conversation the Marauders, Marlene, and her friends, James shouted several times, causing passer-byers to stare and his friends to freight. This time, there were several other reactions.

Sirius Black began to cry from laughter. Mary MacDonald let out a quiet gasp. Marlene McKinnon let out an "ew." And Remus Lupin choked on his own saliva.

"You okay, Remus?" Peter Pettigrew asked, patting his friend gingerly on the back as if he were an infant.

"I-I'm fine," he coughed, beating his chest with a fist to get the last hacks out. "Just fine."

James had a comment about his friends response, but chose to focus on his oral report first. "Don't get your knickers knotted," he said, "she just put her hand on my face. Just laid it there."

"Intimate," Emmeline muttered under her breath.

"And Meadowes was staring at me, for a solid minute," James continued, ignoring Emmeline's sass. "And then, the weirdest part happened."

'The weirdest?" Mary repeated. "I mean, how can get this story get any worse?" Even though her words were unusually harsh for the soft-spoken Hufflepuff, she meant it earnestly.

James gave his cousin an appraising look and scoffed, "Oh, wait for it." The sixth years were a part of large herd of students heading to the Quidditch Pitch to watch the game. Most were Ravenclaw and Slytherin students, cheering for the sake of their houses. There were less students from non-participating Houses, but some just enjoyed the sport. These seven were off to save a Slytherin's best Beater.

James motioned for his friends to veer off to the side. No one besides them needed to hear this.

"You're beginning to freak me out, James," Marlene said once they stopped. She looked back to see if anyone was watching.

James took a deep breath. He was about to sound a bit mental, but didn't he always? Before he spoke though, he saw the tight look on Remus' scarred face: a clenched jaw and furrowed brow.

"You know," he breathed, pointing at his best friend as if he were a ghost. "You know about Meadowes!"

"What? Wait, what?" Remus asked quickly. Everyone noticed that it was too quickly.

Sirius glared from James to Remus. "What's James talking about, Remus?" He asked in a sharp tone.

Remus eyed his friends eyeing him, and it all felt rather overwhelming.

"Dorcas Meadowes is a ligilmens," James said in a tone that implied that Remus should be the one saying it.

There was a collective "fuck" in the circle of friends.

Remus rolled his eyes, but James did have a point. He was a terrible liar; Remus kept his poweress of secrecy reserved for his own furry baggage. He could try to lie and could maybe keep it up for a total of five minutes, more likely four since there were seven of them, but eventually he would give in.

"You knew this?" Sirius accused. "Bloody Hell, Remus, don't you think that bit of information is a wee bit important?"

"Yeah," Emmeline added tersely, "We're trying to save her. Every detail about her is important."

Remus stood a little straighter and said calmly, "Actually, I do. Please share how knowing about her ligilmency skills about saving her."

"We could've thought… _out-loud_ to Meadowes instead of trying to look for her," Peter faltered.

Remus shook his head. "No, Dorcas makes sure to keep out of people's heads. She's learned to block it out."

Marlene let out a scoff. "Oh, sure."

"Seriously," Remus insisted, "I've offered her chances on numerous occasions and she hasn't. You remember her background story?"

There was a silence, which signified a clear agreement.

"Well, she hates her ligilmens if you must know. Do you know what it's like for your parents to think you're a monster? Even if they don't say it aloud?"

His friends continued in their non-verbal cues of understanding. No one more so than Sirius. Once Remus found that his mates felt bad enough, he turned to James, "So, what'd she find?"

James, still a bit shaken by his friend's info, cleared his throat. "I'm not sure, because afterwards, she ran off."

Peter sighed, "That's no good."

"Wait, wait, wait!" Mary said as she pushed back her glasses - a tick of hers when she was hypothesizing. "This may be brilliant."

"Do share," Sirius grumbled bleakly.

"If Meadowes got into Potter's head, then maybe she saw our earlier conversation. Actually, all of yours earlier conversation. I wasn't there, but that's beside the point."

"Yeah, where were you, MacDonald?" Peter asked.

"Fucking Dearborn," Marlene replied for her friend, earning a punch in the shoulder by Mary.

"I don't know how ligilmens works, but if she got into your head, James, what says she doesn't already know about the hit out for her," Mary concluded. She looked to Remus for reassurance. "Have you talked about this with her?"

Remus bit the inside of his cheek and explained. "I'm not sure myself. We've never really talked about how it works, never really got to that part." He paused for a moment before he said haughtily, "I'm sorry, Sirius, would you like to speak up over there?"

Sirius peeked up from his staring at his crossed arms. He had muttered something crude under his breath that no one could quite hear, but they knew enough regarding Sirius' snide commentary. "Nothing, just proceed," he dismissed.

Remus sucked his teeth before adding, "Guys, she's still Dorcas Meadowes. She's by nature secretive."

"He has a point," Marlene noted. "Mary has a point too, but in the end, the possibility of her knowing _everything_ is a long shot, aye? How well does she keep up her… er, I don't know what to call it, mental defense?"

"Dorcas calls it a wall, keeps anything from coming in. If she were to break it down, it would be like a dam breaking. That's really all I know about it," Remus said in a final tone. The guilt coiled in his stomach and noted in his throat.

"Can she know everything about someone?" James asked. "Stream of conscious? Memories? Feelings?"

"I don't know!" Remus barked. "I'd actually prefer to stop talking about this bird's secrets. If she wants to keep it that way, then we should respect it and keep it that way. I don't know about you lot, but I am going to find a decent spot in the Pitch, close to the stairs, just in case if Dorcas Meadowes does fall from the goddamn sky!" The Gryffindor turned his back on his friends and stomped off towards the Pitch, leaving the rest in shock.

"I didn't know his voice got that loud…" Emmelined observered in a voice barely above a whisper.

"Oh, Darling," laughed Sirius, "you should see him dealing with hormone fluctuation."

Before any of the girls could comment on that exceptionally vague and intriguing comment, Lily Evans approached the group. She looked back at Remus and then back at the group. "What'd I miss?" She asked bluntly.

"Let's catch you up as we mobilize," Marlene offered, still examining Sirius.

As they moved, Lily sighed. She wanted to actually get Marlene's advice about her "break-up" with Connor, but it seemed like more important matters were at hand. She trailed along behind them, snuggling further into her scarf.

"Oy, Lily, you all right?" James asked, stopping in his track to wait for her.

Lily's face flushed. Of all the people to be concerned with her right now, of course, it had to be the arse whom her current-ex was intimidated of. "Yeah," Lily nodded, trying her hardest at neutral, "I'm fine." She said it in a final enough tone for James to nod and shut up.

* * *

The voices wouldn't shut up. It was like being in the middle of Times Square, New York, and everyone had their own personal microphone. It didn't help that these inner voices belonged to people who hated her blood and guts. She was cornered in.

 _Merlin, I should've brought my water bottle,_ considered Alec Greengrass.

 _What if MacMillan is watching? Why would he come out to a game, he's probably smoking pot, but he's so good-looking,_ worried Catherine Yaxley.

 _I hope the buldger hits Lovegood in the nose, Meadowes should be able do that right,_ Lucinda Talkalot thought harshly.

Dorcas Meadowes sat on a lone locker room bench as her teammates finished up their pep rally. Her leg shook violently, and she pressed her fingers into temples. She focused harder than she ever had before; she had to re-build her wall. Brick-by-brick if she had to, and in her current state, that was her only option.

 _What the fuck is wrong with her?_ Evan Rosier thought.

Dorcas knew that the overgrown turd was referring her. She could see him watching her with a combination of disgust, irritation, and longing from the sidelines. She felt like vomitting.

"Oy, Meadowes," Rosier growled. "Get up. They're about to ring the bell."

Dorcas didn't respond, because right now, she was mentally witnessing Rosier's earlier masturbation session in the shower. Apparently, it was a ritual of his before a match.

"Mudblood, I'm talking to you!" Rosier egged her on.

Dorcas stood up sharply and glared into his heterochromatic eyes. She thought of doing a lot of things, but she was so distracted. She picked the one with the least amount of energy exertion. _"Walk away,"_ she demanded in a voice that she had not used since December 1976. " _Now, Rosier."_

Rosier stood up straight as if lightening had struck him. He moved robotically away with a shocked expression on his face. Once the prat was gone, Dorcas plopped down onto the bench. She wanted to hit her head against the lockers to make everything quiet, anything for just a moment of peace.

"Meadows, line up!" Talkalot shouted from a distance. "What're you doing, Rosier? Stop walking. You're not supposed to be in the front!"

It took a moment for Dorcas to realize that she was the only one left still not on line. When she stood up, she nearly lost her balance. "Fuck," she groaned as she grabbed her broom and headed towards the rest of the team.

* * *

Remus didn't greet his friends when they entered the Non-Participation section of the Pitch. He was still testy with his friends for invading Dorcas' privacy so intensely. If he thought it was so important, he would've told them.

But then again, there were times the secret was just on the tip of his tongue.

"I get why you're mad," Lily said as she slid next to him. "It was six-on-one, and that's a lot to take from our hoard of mates."

Remus gave her an appraising sort of look. "You don't think I should've told sooner?"

Lily shrugged. "We can't think about that now. You were being a good friend to Dorcas, and I certainly don't blame you for that."

Remus smiled at Lily, even though she was focusing on the pitch. She was always an anomaly to Remus. He wouldn't lie that he might've fancied Lily Evans back in their first few years at Hogwarts. She had always been pretty and clever, and, not to forget, she was rather funny. Most of all, she always managed to find goodness. He appreciated people like that.

A loud rumble boomed through the Pitch. It sounded like thunder, but it was just Caradoc Dearborn, Quidditch Announcer, testing out his vocal charm.

"WELCOME, EVERYONE TO THE 1977 RAVENCLAW VERSUS SLYTHERIN QUIDDITCH MATCH! WE HAVE MARVELOUS WEATHER ON THIS SUNDAY THAT IS RIGHT TO BE SPENT ON SPORTING EVENTS RATHER THAN TRIMESTER FINAL PREPARATION, AM I RIGHT?"

"Dearborn!" McGonagall scolded, loudly enough to be heard without enhanced vocal cords.

A loud roar boomed through the Pitch. Students from Slytherin and Ravenclaw waved their flag colors. There were decorated banners and signs for specific players; some had slogans too.

 _SLYTHERIN FOR THE WIN_ and _FLY LIKE THE EAGLE_ were Lily's personal favorites.

"This is anxiety-inducing," murmured Marlene, curling herself into her lap. She popped her head up to look at Lily with her big blue eyes. "What if she does fall? We have to warn someone."

"I'm not sure that a professor will believe a student seer," Lily sighed. "Maybe Dumbledore, but it's impossible to get to him now."

Marlene sat up and gazed towards the professor's section, which is directly opposite of them. Dumbledore sat in the middle, surrounded by several other professors. "Bullocks."

"LET ME HEAR IT FOR RAVENCLAW!" shouted Caradoc, causing a loud uproar from the black-and-blue section, and an equally loud booing from the green-and-silver section.

The Ravenclaw team zoomed out of the left side of the pitch. They zoomed together in a tight and neat formation, with the platinum blond Xavier Lovegood leading the way. He did a neat loop as he sprayed blue smoke over the Slytherin fan section.

Caradoc's laughter boomed through the Pitch. Mary let out an involuntary giggle, and it was louder than she expected. She peeked at her friends nervously, causing them all to laugh. However, it was not for long since the announcer called: "AND NOW FOR SLYTHERIN!"

Lily tensed as she watched green and silver uniforms fly through the air. She clenched her hands together tightly, trying to spot Dorcas Meadowes amongst the fliers. They all moved so quickly that everyone simply looked like a blur.

"There she is," James called out, grabbing his friends' attention. They looked to the direction he pointed.

"Wow," Emmeline gasped, "She seems like a natural."

This was true. Dorcas Meadowes was a natural-born flier. Ever since their first day of flying lessons with Madam Hooch five-and-half years ago, she excelled at the skill. She moved with the wind as if she were dancing with it, and made it look like Balanchine.

"She's off her game though," James observed.

"Yeah, she looks more agitated," Sirius concurred.

The others, who never played Quidditch for sport, could not see the difference. She was flying as fast and steady as the rest. The critiques saw her tense face, because normally when the Beater normally played she looked like she was taking a stroll by the lake.

"How can you tell?" Marlene asked. She turned back to look at them, regarding them like stalkers.

Sirius gave a deadpanned sort-of look. "We _do_ come to the other matches."

Emmeline gasped again. "Why?"

"Steal, no, I mean borrow, moves from the other captains," he played off. "It's degrading to say but Vanity actually was a rather decent captain." James let out of a bitter scoff, but remained silent. His friends ignored him, so Sirius continued, "I wonder how Talkalot will match up."

"I wonder how far we're going to get in the game," Remus grumbled, rubbing his hands over his face. He wasn't as focused on James and Sirius as he was on Dorcas. His eyes darted to follow her movements as both teams positioned themselves for the start of the match. At first, he couldn't notice anything wrong with Dorcas, but after a moment, he understood. She seemed unfocused; her eyes darted cautiously.

"THE EVER-SO-FOXY MADAM HOOCH-"

("Dearborn!" shouted McGonagall.)

"-IS CURRENTLY WALKING ONTO THE FIELD WITH THE QUAFFLE IN HAND! SHE'S HEADING TOWARDS THE MIDDLE OF THE PITCH. SHE'S ABOUT TO BLOW THE WHISTLE, SIGNIFYING THE BEGINNING OF THE GAME!"

"What happens if Dorcas really falls, Lily?" Marlene asked her friend again, this time more serious than Lily had ever heard her voice sound. "I don't know any levitation charms, and we can't catch her."

Lily's mind raced as Madam Hooch announced that she wanted a good, clean game, trying to come up with anything that would work. Here mind drew an immediate blank naturally, so she prayed that Emmeline's modesty motto was right: _"The future is always changing."_

As Madam Hooch blew the whistle, a lightbulb flickered in Lily's mind. It didn't stay lit, but shit, it was something.

"AND THE GAME BEGINS!" shouted Caradoc Dearborn.

"Oh, fuck," she gasped, "what's it called, what's it called?" She began tapping her foot and stared blankly, trying to go through her own memory bank.

"Do share your revelation," her blonde friend insisted, trying but failing to sound calm.

Lily let out a groan of frustration before explaining, "Snape created spells and curses of his own making."

Sirius stuck his face right in-between the two girls and snapped his head towards the ginger. "I beg your pardon?" He asked nonchalantly.

"Yes, it's this thing he used to do, and probably still does it," Lily replied, "he's good too."

"I don't see how tooting Snape's horn is going to help the dire situation," James scowled, but still concentrated on the game.

Lily wanted to glare at him, but couldn't. She refused to think about him too much, because then it would lead back to Connor. Also, she had to be focused on the bloody curse her ex-friend came up with. "He made a levitation spell," Lily whispered.

Sirius let out a low whistle as he leaned back.

"One strong enough to catch her?" Remus asked, removing his eyes from the target soaring through the air.

"Yes, yes, I think so," Lily said absently. "Ugh, what is it? Leviaramus, Levison. Oh, I should've paid more attention during Latin lessons."

"Do you know the direct translation?"

"Do you know Dead Latin?"

"In fact, I do," Sirius smirked, "and that's not just a pick-up line."

His friends let out different noises of irritation and annoyance as they turned back their focus onto Dorcas Meadowes. Lily specifically turned back inward, trying to think of her old friend while trying to save her new one.

Dorcas relayed a mantra in her head to keep the voices at bay. She sang the lyrics of "American Woman" over and over again, a tune loud enough to instead make her focus on keeping the buldger off her teammates. She had never played a match with her wall down; she got onto the team only last year when she had already built it. And now, she could see why.

 _"Talkalot is so pretty,"_ Captain Xavier Lovegood admired.

 _"I definitely shouldn't have gotten trashed last night, there are like twelve snitches,"_ Slytherin Seeker Otome Ogawa grumbled.

 _"She's going to get herself hit by the buldger if she doesn't move,"_ Ravenclaw Beater Amin Sharma considered.

And it weren't just the fliers Dorcas could hear telepathically. No, no, Dorcas could hear everyone in the Pitch. It was like X-men's Cerebro, and it was taking everything in her power to not have a mental breakdown.

"Meadowes!" shouted Rosier, snapping Dorcas back into action. "Keeper!"

Dorcas didn't like taking orders from men, especially not racist mysognist psychopaths, but Rosier had a point for once in his life. The buldger had just been pushed out of range and was zooming back, this time towards Talkalot, their keeper.

"Fuck," Dorcas grumbled, as she pulled her weight back and changed her direction. She headed straight for the left side of the Keeper and noticed that the buldger was heading for Talkalot's shins. The captain was so focused on beating Lovegood that she barely noticed the incoming ball.

Dorcas swooped down and back up, right towards the buldger's line of projection. She timed it perfectly as she swung upward with both hands, forcing the buldger into the sky.

"MEADOWES SWOOPS IN TO SAVE TALKALOT FROM A NASTY BIT OF KARMA!"

"Dearborn!" shouted McGonagall. 'Do you want detention?"

"ABSOLUTELY NOT, MA'AM. JUST BEING A HONEST REPORTER. AND THERE GOES MEADOWES, CATCHING UP TO THE BULDGER- OOH, AND SMACKING RIGHT TOWARDS THE RAVENCLAW CAPTAIN!"

Dorcas breathed heavily, hanging in the air. Although she didn't knock Lovegood to the ground, she did manage to knock the Quaffle out of his hands and into Stella Malfoy's. She smiled. Okay, so maybe this wasn't going to be _so_ bad.

Then again, Dorcas maybe shouldn't have thought so optimistically.

A sharp pain rang through Dorcas' head, causing her to let out a desperate grasp. Oxygen depleted from her lungs, and it felt like her ears were literally ringing. Like as if she were drowning.

"AND OGAWA IS AFTER THE SNITCH, WITH FAWLEY ON HER TAIL! IT'S GOING TO BE A CLOSE GAME FOLKS… HOLY MERLIN, WHAT'S GOING ON WITH MEADOWES?"

"What's happening to her, Vance?" Remus asked frantically, standing up from his seat. "It's look like she's having a ruddy seizure!"

All of the students, including the fliers, were no longer focused on catching the snitch, making points, or stopping the buldger. Madam Hooch blew the whistle and charmed the buldger from further moving. All eyes were on Dorcas Meadowes, choking on nothing but the air.

Emmeline had a hand clutched over her mouth. Normally she felt glee or pride run through her veins when she watched a vision come true. Now, she felt just shivers. "Oh, no, she's going to fall any second!" she said, grasping onto Sirius' knee.

"You remember that spell, Evans?" Sirius asked quickly.

Lily bit her lip, not wanting to reveal her own ignorance. She should've paid more attention to Snape's work, but he started creating these spells when he was going… rather dark. She just needed one word to add onto the Levi-

"Levicorpus!" She squealed, standing up and clapping her hands together. She may as well have discovered the cure to the common cold.

"What?" Marlene asked.

Without answering her friend, Lily shuffled past her lot of friends skittering towards to the Pitch's banister. She pulled out her wand from the back of her jean pocket and tested a few motions. If she fucked up, Dorcas Meadowes would splatter onto the ground like a fallen pancake.

 _Fuck, fuck, fuck,_ Lily's brain chanted as it processed the sight of Dorcas Meadowes shaking. It scared Lily even, and she worried for the younger students in the stand. What would have the past two months be like for an eleven-year old muggle-born? She shivered at the thought.

"She stopped," Lily heard someone say, but didn't look to see whom it was. And the statement was true, because it looked like Dorcas passed out right there on her broom. However, she didn't fall off like gravity would demand - she hung there for a moment before floating off into the sky.

Emmeline shrieked as did many other students. Shouts of terror rang throughout the air. Professors scrambled to file students out in an idealistic and orderly fashion as Dumbledore reached the edge of the Professor's section, watching Dorcas' body.

Lily looked to her Headmaster desperately but was met with dissatisfaction. All he was doing was just watching, as if watching the telly. How could he be so calm in a moment like this?

 _He knew this was going to happen_ , the darker part of Lily's mind concocted.

Lily decided it would be best not to focus on that, because she could not be distracted right now. She snapped her head back towards Dorcas, but double-taked at the sight of the Slytherin section. The students, in comparison to Dumbledore, had shock smacked across their faces. Slughorn tried to herd them out, but even he was too gobsmacked to do so promptly. Her eyes trailed to Snape and Avery - both of whom she was sure created this barbaric plan - and examined their expressions. Their jaws were slack and their eyes wide. Lily had grown up with the boy, and she knew when he was genuinely shocked. Since he generally wasn't excitable, it was a very rare emotion.

And this was it.

Lily's attention re-focused when silence washed over the crowd of students. She turned her head to see Dorcas Meadow fall from the gray sky. Her wand work was shaky, but managed to get out, " _Levicorpus!"_

Nothing occurred from the tip of the wand, causing the Ginger to curse lividly. Dorcas Meadowes was going to die right there in a matter of milliseconds. Lily couldn't bear to watch.

But, just before she hit the ground, a large white sheet flew in under Dorcas' body. It bounced her into the air and caught her again when she was higher up, so that there would be no chance for her body to hit the ground. Lily let out a sigh of relief as did many other students. She looked back to her friends. The girls held each other's hands tightly; Peter had his face in his hands; James and Sirius gaped; and Remus nearly looked like he had a heart attack.

As the blanket set an unconscious Dorcas down onto the ground, Dumbledore put the tip of his wand to his throat. _"PREFECTS AND HEAD STUDENTS, PLEASE ESCORT STUDENTS BACK TO THEIR RESPECTIVE DORMS. PROFESSORS, MEET ME IN THE GREAT HALL IMMEDIATELY. MISS MEADOWES WILL BE SENT TO MADAM POMFREY'S WING."_

Students watched as Dumbledore whisked his wand silently, motioning towards the sheet. It lifted her again and moved quickly through the sky, heading towards the Hospital Wing. It looked rather make-shift and dangerous, but Lily knew that Dumbledore would protect his students no matter what.

* * *

"I have to talk to her, no matter what; I'll sneak past Dumbledore if I have to." Remus rambled, tapping his foot impatiently. He stared aimlessly at the orange, red, and yellow flames dancing about. None of his friends were really listening to him anymore, and he didn't blame them. This was probably his sixteenth time mentioning his need to speak with Dorcas. He wanted to know what she knew, mainly if she knew his treachery. "Merlin, it's been hours. Why haven't they updated the students, or at least the Heads, about her status?"

"Here," offered Marlene dully, holding out a steaming mug. It was white and read, _Marlene's Fucking Cup._ "It'll calm you down." Remus took and mumbled a "thank-you." He sniffed it once before asking what the concoction was. "Green Tea," she said with a wink.

Remus looked at the tea again with renewed interest. "Thank you," he said, taking a sip. He let out a satisfied "ah" afterwards.

Sirius viewed the cup longingly and pouted at Marlene. "I want one."

Marlene rolled her eyes. She wouldn't indulge the good-looking idiot with a response and plopped in a chair, picking up her latest edition of her favorite music magazine.

Sirius leaned back against the couch and let out a long sigh. "I hope she isn't dead," he commented while inspecting in his fingernails.

"Merlin," groaned the blond, "does it get boring to hear your own voice constantly?"

Sirius snorted. "That's rich coming from you, McKinnon."

"What does that mean?" She retorted haughtily.

"You want to pursue the most egotistical career path known to man."

"Only a man would make art about ego."

Remus tuned out his friends' bicker-flirtation session. He didn't need to watch that. His view gazed toward Lily and James, sitting next to each other on the window's den. Another sight that he could do without. He silently slipped away upstairs, intent on sending an owl to the Hospital Wing.

"You don't look so good," James commented on the side. He had been watching Lily for a while, just staring out the window. Remus' and Lily's moods combined cast a dark cloud over the common room.

Lily pursed her lips and said, "Thanks, Potter. Your concern for me is touching."

He scoffed, "You know what I mean." He pulled out a cigarette and pushed the window door open, just slightly.

Although her head faced out, Lily's eyes peered to watch James light his cigarette. She felt her skin boil just at the sight of him. She wanted to rip him a part, just for existing to make Connor insecure of himself. But then again, even in her head, that sounded completely ridiculous.

Lily hated to admit it, but maybe Connor did have a point or two. She had never expected to accompany James Potter during one of his smoke sessions. If you had told her exactly one year ago that she'd be his friend, she would've laughed in your face before jinxing you for the thought.

Her green eyes focused on James' lips as they wrapped around the butt of his cigarette. He was growing stubble above his lip, just the beginnings, but it had a bit of potential. Another thing that Lily hated to admit was that she still remembered how the roughness against her skin when he by accidentally kissed her during New Year's Eve. There was once a part of her that believed it wasn't so much of an accident.

Was Connor a ligilmens too? How could he possibly know of her inner turmoil? She never shared it with him while they were dating; Lily knew that Connor was too insecure about Potter's position in her life. She rested her forehead against the cold glass and let out a sigh. "Everything's shite."

James blew out some smoke and chuckled, "Well, I guess it must be so."

"You're a prat," she said without looking up at him. Looking at him was too confusing.

"And that must be true too," he smirked. When Lily made a move for her wand in her back pocket, James clutched her wrist. She glared at him and did her best to maintain it. He had this stupid smirk on his face as the cigarette dangled from the corner of his mouth and his glasses a top of his head.

Lily hated him. She had to.

"Let's play," James smiled, like a cheshire cat.

"I beg your pardon?"

"If Lily Evans is fearing the worst," James sighed, letting her hand go, "then that means the world is really coming to an end."

Lily wanted to ask what that meant, but she waited for him to clarify instead.

"So, with all the shite going on in the world that us adolescents cannot control, we should play. Sound like fun, aye?"

Lily's lips came together in straight line. Even though it took her a long time, Lily eventually asked, "What'd you have in mind?"

* * *

 _A/N - Enjoy :) Let me know what you think!_


	21. Chapter 21

**February 18** **th** **, 1977**

Following afternoon Transfiguration, Severus Snape fancied himself a nap. A true rarity. He was in no mood to study and in absolutely no mood to hang around Mulciber and Avery. Plotting the downfall of muggleborns was rather drab recently, and if they were smart, they would stop. Ever since Meadowes dropped, the Professors have been following strict policy to ensure the safety of their students. Both Connor Greyson and Bijal Gupta insisted on earlier curfews and often broke-up students gathering together past seven o'clock at night. It was becoming a rehabilitation center for troubled youth rather than a school.

As he filed out of the classroom behind other students, Severus let out a tired yawn. How he longed for his bed. But, it would have to wait apparently.

Lily Evans waited with her arms crossed over her chest, along with her bitch of a best friend, Marlene McKinnon. She looked highly displeased with her furrowed brow and pressed lips. She beckoned him with her little finger, and truthfully, that's all it took. All ever Lily Evans had to do was beckon him, and he was at his knees.

"Her Highness calls for me?" He asked dryly. He would never compromise his pride, not even for the Lily Evans.

Marlene peered down at her friend and said, "Give me one reason to not punch him in the throat."

"Scary," Snape murmured.

When Marlene wound back to throw the punch, Lily put a hand on her friend's shoulder. She kept her green eyes locked onto Snape's; he disliked when she'd look at him like that. Towards the end of their friendship, she'd give him that glare regularly. "Because Snape has to use his vocal cords to tell us why he was after Dorcas," she said simply.

Snape scoffed, "Oh, so she's _Dorcas_ now. Had to find a replacement Slytherin to pity?"

"I don't pity, Dorcas," Lily said shortly. "I care for her. She's a good person, unlike the other Slytherin I once chose to befriend."

The students stared at each other, neither one wanting to be the first to break the stand-off. Snape eventually had to blink and rubbed his eyes. "Did you try and kill Dorcas Meadowes?" She asked.

Snape sighed, "No, I did not."

"Liar," Marlene spat.

"Say what you'd like, McKinnon, but I did not try and kill Dorcas. Nor did Avery or Mulciber - I can see prejudice oozing from your skull."

Marlene scoffed, but said nothing as she leaned against the courtyard wall.

"Then who did?" Lily asked.

"I don't know," Severus said dully. "But cheers to them. One less mudblood in my House."

Lily closed her eyes at the word, holding herself back. "You're disgusting," she said quietly, "and a bullshitter. You definitely know, and I will tell Dumbledore that you were responsible for the other attacks."

"You don't have the evidence to make a convincing argument," Snape said.

"Honestly, you and your gang's past history is enough of a convincing argument."

"Evans," Snape said shortly, causing the two Gryffindor girls to raise their eyebrows at the formality, "I saw you watching me at the Match. You saw my face then. I was just as surprised as you were to see Meadowes floating in the air, like she was hanging on the cross."

"Again, good bullshitter," Lily said in an impatient tone.

"Say what'd you like, but it wasn't me or my friends. Truthfully, we had planned to attack Meadowes that night." Marlene and Lily exchanged quick glances, but remained quiet to let Snape continue with this intriguing anecdote. "We were going to concoct a potion for her at the celebration party after the game."

"You expected to win enough to plan a party?" Marlene asked rhetorically. She let out a snort.

"Yes, we did. It was a good plan too, which we were counting on. But, it wasn't us. We were thrown off when Meadowes had her attack. But, not displeased either."

Lily had a few inclinations in the moment. She wanted to punch Severus in his nose; run to Dumbledore to tell him of the news; and possibly sit down with a butterbeer to properly absorb all of that information. She chose to glare at him longer and asked, "Is that true?"

"Do you really think I would've just told you that as a lie?" Snape asked, a bit hurt by her incessant disbelief.

Lily looked him up and down once. She took Marlene's hand and brushed past him. "I don't know," she said honestly without looking back and shimmying past students.

* * *

James Potter shimmied up his trousers, jumping a little to get them over his bum. He nearly his his head on a shelf trying to do so. There never was much space in a broom cupboard, but that being said, he was a bit excitable right now.

A faint giggle filled the cupboard. James looked down at the girl in front of him. Camilla Henley was tucking her blouse into her skirt and peered up at him coyishly. "Post-Sex Potter is an amusing one," she smirked.

James shrugged, "Any Potter you'll meet is amusing."

She thought about this. "Good point."

It was dark in the cupboard the two Gryffindors chose. There was enough light streaming in from the light from outside which created created a glow surrounding them. James thought she looked pretty right now, maybe beautiful with her warm olive skin and tousled hair. He kissed her forehead before opening the door. "After you, m'lady,"

"M'lady?" Camilla repeated, sliding out the cupboard. "Is this Butler Potter?"

"Yes, Darling," James replied, closing the door quickly behind him. "He grants your every wish, but only in your dreams. I'll see you later, yeah?" He glanced at his watch and then at Camilla, like the Alice's White Rabbit.

Camilla noted his rushed actions and raised an eyebrow. "Yeah," she murmured.

Without another word, James passed by Camilla, already trotting to his destination. She watched as he dodged past students and ran through the courtyard. That was the first time she had witness him run - he looked like an ostrich. What could possibly make James Potter run like a bird?

* * *

"Stop running around like a chicken with its head cut off," Robert Vance called after his girlfriend, or ex-girlfriend. He wasn't quite sure which one as of now.

"Don't reprimand me," Emmeline Kim snapped, piling her books together. She had been studying peacefully with Mary when Robert intruded her space. The moment she saw him approach, she was packing her bags. She couldn't bare to look at him even.

"I'm not… I'm not trying to reprimand you," Robert tried, following after Emmeline. "I'm trying to understand you."

Emmeline spun on her heels to glare back at the dark-haired boy. She hated that just the sight of him could make her heart beat uncontrollably. She loved the way his lips curled when he spoke to her. But, she hated that those lips touched another's, especially by the likes of Lucinda Talkalot. "Understand me?" She repeated, outraged. "Now you want to understand me?"

"I always want to understand you, Em, but sometimes you make it ruddy difficult," he countered hotly.

"Me make it difficult? You're the one off snogging and shagging other harpies!" She cried, clutching her books so tightly that her knuckles turned white.

"Mr. Vance! Miss Kim!"

The two students snapped their head in the direction of Madam Pince's shrill voice. The librarian put her long finger to her lips and then pointed out the door. "Take it elsewhere," she hissed.

"Of course," Emmeline said haughtily, leaving Robert in the dust. He called out to her again before leaving. "Just leave me alone, I want nothing to do with you!"

"You're mad at me for something you don't understand," he said, grabbing her wrist.

"Now, we're questioning my capabilities as a seer. This is a smashing conversation, Robert, it truly is."

"Em, you know that's not what I meant."

"Then what do you mean?"

The former couple caused a rather notable scene. Students tried not to watch for the sake of privacy, but it was hard not to be absorbed. It was such a small castle.

Robert noticed this fact and cleared his throat. "You've told me that the future is always changing and is subjective," he continued in a softer voice. "I haven't touched Talkalot. And you're punishing me for something I have yet to do. Tell me where the sense is in that, aye?"

Emmeline narrowed her dark eyes at Robert. Although he did prove some good points, she still felt irritation course through her veins. "On Sunday, I foresaw Dorcas Meadowes fall from the bloody sky hours before it happened during the Quidditch match. My visions come true, and I'll be damned if I just wait to be cheated on. Especially if it's with a nosy superficial bird like Talkalot."

Emmeline turned around and walked away without thinking twice about it, leaving a confused Robert in the halls.

* * *

"Now that's a fit bird," Sirius Black agreed with Peter's assessment of Tanya Pine. "Wonder if she plays for both teams?" He added with a wink.

"Unlikely," Remus Lupin commented off-handedly as he aimlessly skimmed the _Daily Prophet._ He was barely paying attention to the nine injured in Godric's Hollow after a cursed fire spread through an entire home. Naturally, his focus was on another bird.

Peter Pettigrew laughed in agreement, clapping Remus on the back. He earned an unenthusiastic smile return.

"You know who is also fit?" Sirius asked as he caught James' squirmy snitch.

"Don't even say it," Remus said as he turned the page.

"Who?" Peter asked excitedly.

"No, Sirius-"

"Marlene." Sirius sang her name as if he were a formidable opera singer, making each syllable as angelic as possible.

Peter's eyes widened, rubbing them as if that would somehow change the answer. When he was met with nothing but silence, Peter gulped. "Don't do it."

"And why not?" Sirius asked indignantly.

"Because, it's… it's…"

"It's Marlene," Remus finished, setting his paper down. "And you know where this conversation ends."

Sirius pouted. He tapped his fingers against the grass. The three friends sat outside on this mild winter day. The weather had been decent in the past week, enticing students to go outside more. The gang thought it would be a nice day to take a stroll into the woods with a half bottle of Firewhiskey. Sirius and Peter were already two shots in while Remus decided to act as babysitter.

"I don't know," Sirius shrugged, releasing the snitch into the air again. "I think her voice is rather sexy. I reckon it's even raspy." Remus grimaced while Peter giggled like a school girl. "Fantastic vocal nodules," he added, "I mean, the bird can sing too, but even when she yells at me…" he trailed off dreamily.

"You like it when she yells at you?" Peter asked curiously.

The dark-haired one snapped his head towards his critical friend. "I am the prince of oedipal complexes, my dear Peter. It's what I do."

Remus guffawed. He turned away from his paper and said, "Okay, that was a good one."

Sirius beamed a white-tooth smile at him. "And she's even hotter than Walburga, so cheers to me."

"I reckon you hush up, Sirius, for several reasons," Peter whispered. His eyes were on James running down the hill.

Sirius snatched the snitch and decided to take Peter's advice, at least for now. He was aware of how protective James was of his favorite cousin. They were more like brother and sister, and James let the school know it. Starting in their fourth year, James would prank the students interested in Marlene, and Lily Evans. Now, even though James let go his more interesting-hobbies (only Sirius refers to this as such) in the last year, he still glared at anyone looking at Marlene for too long or throwing up suggestive gestures. Sirius didn't like the thought of being on the receiving end of one of those.

"Oy," James panted once he reached his mates. He bent over, holding himself by leaning onto his knees. "She's not here yet?"

"Whose she?" Peter asked.

"Did you just shag?" Remus asked.

"Why were you running?" Sirius asked.

James plopped down and wiped his glasses. "Lily," he panted, as if it were obvious.

The three others exchanged glances. "Evans is joining us?" Sirius asked curiously. He let out a loud laugh before asking, "Did you _Imperio_ her?"

"Sod off," James laughed. "I don't know. She seems down lately. So, I asked her if she wanted to join us. And she said yes."

Remus scoffed. "Of course, she's bloody down, James. She's probably more than that."

"Everyone grieves differently about Dorcas…" James murmured, suddenly feeling rather defensive.

The prefect narrowed his eyes. "I'm talking about her breakup."

James froze. He didn't blink for an entire minute before muttering, "Come again?"

Sirius let out a low whistle, while Remus suddenly looked back to his newspaper. Peter began picking grass idly. No one said anything.

"All of you knew?" James asked again. "Why am I the only that doesn't?"

"Because it's none of your business," a curt female voice spoke.

James felt a familiar tingle run up his spine. He turned slowly to be met with Lily Evans' irritable glare. "So, did you break the Headboy's heart?" He asked, attempting to play off everything with some humor.

Lily stiffened as she gulped. "Something like that," she said softly. She pulled out a bottle of Firewhiskey and asked, "When do we begin?" She gave the bottle a wiggle.

Sirius clapped his hands together and even bent over to bow regally before the ginger. "Oh, thank you, our Goddess, Onenotropae! Bless us with liquor!"

"She was the Greek goddess of Wine," Lily teased as she took a swig of the liquor. She tossed it at Sirius and jokingly said, "Get your Greek Goddesses right, Black."

Sirius stood up and wiped himself of dirt. "I should be credited for knowing at least the most important," he said with a wink before taking his own swig. He let out a satisfied "ah!" and then clapped. "All right, Mates! Up and out we go!"

Lily, Remus, and Peter followed Sirius into the Forbidden Forest. James followed slowly behind, watching the back of Lily Evans. She played her game well, trying to seem as if everything were going normal. But, he could see her slower step, her fake smile, and distracted gaze. Lily Evans was far from all right.

* * *

"Well, do you feel all right?"

Dorcas Meadowes looked up at her Headmaster as if he were the dumbest man on the planet. "Oh, yes, just smashing," she deadpanned. "One-hundred-and-ten percent."

It had been two days since the Slytherin girl woke up from her unconscious state. She had not attended classes since her revival due to painful headaches and never-ending voices. Dumbledore allowed her to catch up on her school work in privacy of the Hospital Wing. She had been there since, under the watchful eye of Madam Pomfrey. The old hag wouldn't even let Dorcas out of her sight for a smoke, which made the young witch incredibly agitated.

The only time Dorcas was not followed by the Healer was currently. She sat in her warm robe and pajama pants with her arms crossed, looking like a petulant child. At least, Dumbledore was a formidable occulmens, so for once, she felt at peace in her own head.

"Dorcas," Dumbledore said in a fatherly voice. "What can I provide for you to make your recovery more pleasant?"

Dorcas let out a huff. She hated when he did this, play nice when she was being a prat. "I want to be able to smoke a bloody cigarette."

Dumbledore let out a quiet chuckle as he took off his spectacles. "Maybe this recovery is good for you in more than one way."

"And maybe I know far too much about Madam Promfery's personal life now because she's tailing me twenty-four-seven, Professor," Dorcas said in a short tone, exasperated by the past two days. "I can't breath with her around, and I don't want to be in her head! I shouldn't be in her head."

Dorcas now knew far too much about the Healer. She knew about Madam Pomfrey's dear cat, Whiskey, and her love of the Chudley Canons. She also pitied Madam Pomfrey, whose youngest daughter nearly died in the most recent fire in Godric's Hollow. The daughter, Patricia, was currently in St. Mugno's, getting treatment for severe burns. Dorcas wasn't supposed to know this much her professor; no one was supposed to know this much about anyone.

Dumbledore folded his hands together. "I presume that the wall reconstruction is moving slowly."

"You presume correctly." And that was putting it nicely.

Dumbledore thought about this for a moment. He looked to the portraits of past Headmasters, trying to remember what they would do in such a situation. Natural ligilems were rare in form, and it was even harder when they were adolescent students.

"I suggest that we get you a tutor."

Dorcas raised a brow and narrowed her eyes at him. "For my wall reconstruction?" She asked, clearly skeptical, "Why can't you teach me?"

"Oh, I will help you with that, of course," Dumbledore said, waving her off. He began skimming through his notes, searching for something. "A different tutor."

"For what?" Dorcas inquired.

"Someone needs to teach you occulemency," he revealed. "And it has to be someone proficient in the art."

"Why would someone need to do that for me?" She asked carefully.

Dumbledore stopped searching for whatever he was looking for and peered up at his tired student. He let out a long breath before saying, "Get comfy, Miss Meadowes. We have much to discuss."

* * *

"So, was it like a discussion?" Sirius asked Lily. "Or did you just leave him a note? Like in Austen novel? _Dear Connor, I am hurt to let you know that I must break your goody-two-shoes Heart-_ "

"Bugger off," Lily hissed, punching Sirius in the arm before taking another swig. She grimaced before adding, "I'll be damned if I break up with someone over letter. If I respect you and want to break-up with you, hopefully, I'll have enough respect for you to say it your face."

Sirius clapped his hands. " _Brava_. Moral Evans as always," he said dully.

Lily made a face and then turned to Remus. "Where's his off-button?" she asked sharply.

Remus shrugged, "Been searching for it for years. Must be near of his nether regions."

"Oh, you can check those out tonight," Sirius said as he wrapped his arm around his friend's lean waist.

Remus was the one to make a face this time but allowed his besotted friend to hold onto him. He motioned for Lily to pass the bottle to James instead of Sirius when she was finished with her own swig. He made a mental note to also keep the Firewhiskey out of Lily's hands. The girl's balance was definitely off, even coordinating the hand-off.

James took another swig. He felt tingly all over, little pins and needles with a warm rush of heat. With the contrast of breathing in the cold air, he felt high. Everything looked so clear in the forest and enjoyed the way tree bark felt against his fingertips. He also enjoyed the way Lily's hips swayed, but he tried not to focus on that too much. He took another swig for help.

Peter trotted behind with his wobbly legs. "I… I… see it!" he shouted. He nearly lost his balance trying to point at the incoming open field. "It's Heaven!"

"Far from it," noted James. He watched as Lily stopped at the field, gazing at the sight of the broken-down Shrieking Shack.

"I never realized how close it was," she murmured. She shivered as a gust of wind passed them and bundled further into her jacket. She had never gotten this close before, but often looked at it from a far during Hogsmeade visits. Being this close made it that much more eerie. "How'd you find it?"

"Shrieking Shack was never really haunted," Remus explained as he removed Sirius' limbs from his waist. "The yells were from students pranking Hogsmeade."

Lily raised a skeptical eyebrow, something hard to identify since she was bundled so well. "Soooo, you lot?"

James unravelled his scarf and plopped it unceremoniously on Lily's shivering head. "Give us more credit than that, Evans. We have some morale. There are children in this village," he said.

Lily looked at the wool Gryffindor scarf before throwing it back at him. "I'm fine, thank you," she snapped.

"Alcohol makes you colder," he said calmly, pointing to her shivering knees.

"You should worry about your own knees… you… Gigantor," she said weakly. The Firewhiskey was making her head foggy so her comebacks were not up to par.

The Marauders laughed at her attempt, while Sirius took the bottle out of his friend's hand. He leaned against a tree beside Remus and pulled out a cigarette. "All right, kiddies, have fun," he smiled, waving them off.

Lily and James gave Sirius the same bewildered look. "You're not coming?" Lily asked as James gave his friends a look that combined horror and anger.

"I'm too scared," Peter said weakly before reaching out to the bottle.

"I'm not interested," Remus said simply.

"And I'm not a third-wheel," Sirius added before snatching the bottle out of Peter's grasp and taking a long drink. "I'm a unicycle, and a proud one at that."

Lily's face flushed and it wasn't because of the alcohol this time. She looked to James wearily before clenching her teeth together. Spending time with James Potter sounded like a bad decision, especially while inebriated. Or, it could mean the best thing. It would prove Connor wrong. This little moment could mean everything for her self-esteem. Since the break-up, Lily wondered if it had all been her fault: Connor's insecurity, that is. Maybe she couldn't see something that he could about James, or maybe Potter still did have underlying feelings for her?

But, if they could manage sneaking into a haunted house alone with no physical contact, this might be the big relief she's been waiting for all week.

Or it may be the cause to her own downfall. Who knows?

"Then give us the bottle," Lily said, beckoning for it.

Sirius gave her a devious look with the corner of his lips turning up. He passed her the smaller bottle and said, "There's two of you, and three of us."

James deadpanned. "Remus isn't drinking."

Sirius nudged him the prefect immediately, but still looked at James. Remus frowned and sighed, "I may take a shot or two."

"Who'll be babysitter than?" Lily inquired.

Remus smirked as he picked up his bottle. "It takes more than a couple of shots to release the monster, Lily," he said in a knowing voice.

Peter let out a gigantic laugh as he fell back onto the ground, before nearly passing out with sleepiness.

"But here," Remus insisted, passing her along the smaller bottle. He waved off James and Lily to go towards the Shack. "Go and show her, so that we can go back. I have to finish an essay, as do all of you."

There was a collective groan as Lily and James walked away together.

* * *

Mary MacDonald and Caradoc Dearborn sat together in an empty classroom. He stared at her soft gaze as she scribbled down an outline for an upcoming essay. She had the most beautiful skin that just always shined and the most delicate features, like a doll.

"You're staring," Mary sang softly as she peeked up to look at her boyfriend.

"And you're noticing," he winked.

Mary let out a little tinkle of a laugh, something that he cherished. How could he have not noticed her all of these years? She tilted her head, noticing something either on him or about him.

"What?" He asked.

Mary shook her head and returned to her outline, resuming her scribbling. The one con may be that the Hufflepuff had terrible hand-writing, like that of a six year old.

"Mary, what's wrong?" He tried again, pulling her closer to him by her hips. She gave him a reluctant look, but let him hold her. "You can tell me, y'know?"

Mary scrunched her nose for a moment before turning to him. She put a hand to her face and asked, "Will you forget about me?"

"Hard to forget a girl like you, Mary," he smiled.

Mary pushed him in the shoulder and whined, "I'm serious, Caradoc."

"And no one is laughing."

She made another face and pushed her glasses back over her head. There were rare times that Mary MacDonald showed her serious side, and Caradoc Dearborn had only seen it twice. "You're about to graduate," she said in a clear voice, as if she were about to give a lecture, "and you are going to do important and great things."

Caradoc did not like where this was headed.

"And while you're doing those great things, when the world is going to crap," she continued, "you'll have a hard time… managing your time."

He understood the intention of this talk immediately, recognizing her hesitation. "You don't think that I'll have time for you once I graduate," Caradoc finished, nodding his head.

Mary bit her lip. She said nothing for a moment as her eyes darted around. "I just don't want us to end up like Lily and Connor…"

Caradoc wasn't expecting this one. He had known what the break-up had done to both sides of that party. Connor was dissociating, pretending that it had no affect on him. Lily, on the other hand, ignored her ex-boyfriend. The whole school knew that they had broken-up before either one had shared the news with anyone.

Caradoc took a deep breath. He closed his eyes and leaned a hand on his desk to prop his face up. "First of all, we aren't Lily Evans or Connor Greyson, Mary. We're us, and I like that about us. They had a multitude of things going wrong in their relationship."

Mary looked down at her hands because that was true, whether she wanted to admit it or not. Luckily, Lily had never asked her that.

"And," Caradoc continued, "another simple difference is that I'm not leaving for America, Mary."

She looked up and gulped.

"I love Connor, I do, he's my best mate," he revealed. He seemed a bit exasperated even. "But, he's making a choice by running to America. And I don't think it's the wrong either since he's also a black muggle-born Wizard. I don't blame him, and a part of me wants to do the same, but I'm going to fight. I'm going to stay in England and fight."

Mary listened to his words with caution. He made points that she didn't expect him too. She didn't expect him to think about this so thoroughly; she thought it was her own paranoia. She never had a boyfriend before, and the thought of loosing Connor seemed… well, she didn't want to think about it.

"You can't get rid of me yet, Mary MacDonald," Caradoc smirked.

Mary let out a sigh of relief and kissed him gently on his lips. For once, it felt like everything was perfect.

* * *

James had imagined this perfect moment in his head previously: a tranquil walk in the woods, a shag against a tree, or he'd even talk to her kindly. Any of those things would've made this a perfect friday afternoon.

But, Lily Evans had just broken-up with her boyfriend, had one too many shots of liquor, and was set-up by his friends. This was the antonym of perfect.

Additionally, they haven't spoken more than two words in the past fifteen minutes. This was maybe the worst thing the Marauders haver ever done to him. Shit, it was worse than when Marlene had set them up on New Year's Eve.

"So…?" Lily asked, examining the building's depleting entrance. "We just walk in?"

"Yes," James said. "No spells, no charms."

"Do you lot just run into the Shrieking Shack when you get bored?" Lily asked dryly.

"Sometimes, we play with the Giant Squid in the Black Lake," James countered, with equal sarcasm, "depends on the weather."

Lily narrowed her eyes at him before taking a long swig. She tossed it to him before walking towards it. She stomped with determination and a glare on her face.

"Merlin," he whispered, "Evans, if you don't wanna go…"

"I do!" She shouted without looking back.

"What's gotten into you, aye?" James called out, tired of being ignored and tired of being scolded at like a child. He followed her into the broken down house, ignoring the creakiness and the eeriness that somewhat freaks him out every time he walks in.

Lily observed the place, but said nothing. A part of her found it disgusting and petrifying with all of the insects crawling, broken furniture, and loose wood-planks. Another part of her found it rather cool. She imagined the Marauders coming here on late nights, laughing their arses off. It seemed nice.

"You didn't have to come in here with me," explained James. "They're just playing a joke."

Lily froze and turned her head to him. If looks could kill... "What kind of joke?" She asked sourly.

James scoffed. "Stupid pranks that we've done all of our life."

"You prank each other?"

"Naturally."

"It's a prank enough to be in this building," She murmured as they walked around slowly.

James smiled. "I have a lot of good memories here."

She gave him a questionable look. "That's slightly terrifying."

"Maybe mysterious," James smirked.

Lily felt her face flush again, and she fucking hated it. Why did that happen? Why did her body react that way around him? She walked further ahead of him, not wanting him to see her like this. She didn't need a bigger bruise to her ego, thanks.

"Evans, what is wrong? It's not just that you're drunk," James commented. There was a softness in his voice that was not there before.

Lily turned back at him, but only to take possession of the liquor bottle again. However, James lifted it in the air, too high for the Ginger to reach. Gigantor-status had its perks.

"Oh, don't be a prat," Lily growled, hopping to reach the bottle. Instead, she looked like a baby bunny, and it was adorable. James couldn't help but let out a chuckle. "This funny to you?"

"Bloody Hell," James said, pretending to quiver. "Maybe AA would be promising path for you."

"AA? Oh, look at you with your muggle references," Lily teased as she finally stopped jumping. "Witty as ever!"

"Witty and slightly more sober than you," James beamed.

"You're so frustrating!" She shouted.

"Love, don't I know?"

Lily tried jumping again, this time a little higher, for her alcohol. However, since her sobriety levels were rather low, she lost her balance and tripped over her own laces, falling right onto James.

Now, these were one of _those_ moments. The moment in some romance novel in which the two love interests would stare into each other's eyes and realize that this was in fact _their_ moment.

But, they were both drunk hormonal adolescent idiots.

Their faces were centimeters a part, and their lips maybe millimeters apart. James could feel her hot breath against his, her breasts against his chest, and her knee nudging right between his legs. The part that James couldn't take his focus away from was emerald eyes. James was just drunk enough to notice that Lily was getting off of him either. He blamed that on his ego. And he also blamed it on his ego when he leaned his head off the floor and towards her face.

And by jove, Holy Shit, Lily Evans almost let him do it. Their lips brushed together but it definitely wasn't a kiss. She skittered off of him and away from him, as if he were some horrid monster. Or, if she had committed some unforgivable act.

"No, no, no, no…" She whispered as she crouched to stand up. "Fuck!" She screamed.

"I'm sorry," James said, a bit frightened and confused. "I… I shouldn't have done that-"

"Of course, you shouldn't have done that!" She shouted irritably. "You shouldn't be allowed to do anything, you pompous arrogant turd!"

He stood up and gave her a look. "Okay, okay, no need for for name-calling," he said defensively. "You weren't moving either-"

"Of course, I wasn't moving!" Lily declared. "Because you're fucking James Potter with messy but nice hair, pretty hazel eyes, a sculpted chest, and that stupid stupid smile!"

James decided that this was a good time for him to shut-up and let Lily continue. It seemed like she wasn't near completion.

"And it doesn't help that you've actually become decent in the last few months," Lily continued, grasping onto air whenever her rant would allow it. "You're actually even rather funny."

"Why, thank you," he grumbled under his breath.

"Not a compliment!" she shouted some more. She breathed heavily and for a moment, James swore she was about to cry. But instead she just let out a big breath: "why didn't you tell me that Connor punched you that night?" she asked quietly.

James expected a few things, but this was not it. He began to fumble on his words, but all that came out was, "I… I don't know… my ego?"

Lily let out a loud exhale, a little chuckle of disbelief at the end too. She dropped her hands, which slapped loudly against her thighs. "You've become the perfect version of yourself, James Potter, and that terrified by boyfriend so much that he broke up with me."

The air between them got colder, or maybe the drunkness finally began to leave their blood stream.

"Even though you shag Camilla Henley in locker rooms and Marlene has promised me you've moved on from trying to date me with bad pick-up lines, it's not enough for Connor," she sighed. It no longer sounded like Lily was accusing him, but there was still shakiness in her voice. James wanted to go over and put an arm around her, but he also didn't want to get kicked in the family jewels. "Connor still doesn't believe that you and I can be just friends."

James Potter never really experienced speechlessness often; it was actually a rarity. The last time he felt speechless was a few months ago frankly. He never expected to have such a toll on their relationship, even though there was once a point that he'd be the cause to their end all. He never thought it would actually come true.

James tried to take a step closer, but she took one step back. "No, please don't come any closer," she said softly, gazing into his eyes. It almost sounded like pleading. "You make everything more complicated."

"You know… I'm sorry about your break-up," he whispered, still coming closer to her. "I didn't realize-"

Lily put her hand up to his chest. "Just stop speaking and making things worse, or right, or whatever you're trying to do," she sighed. "I came here today to prove that Connor was wrong. That we could be just be friends. And I failed."

"Why can't we be friends?" He asked, not caring how childish he sounded.

Lily bit her lip. It was her turn for uncertainty. "I don't know. James, I hate you. And I really care for you at the same time. That all makes me feel guilty, and who wants a friend that makes you feel guilty by doing absolutely nothing wrong." And just like that, she picked up the tossed bottle and walked out of the Shrieking Shack.

* * *

 _A/N- Emotions! I hope you liked this chapter, one of my faves. I wanted to also apologize for the all the typos in the last chapter; I put it up hastily and without revisions. This one should be better, but if anyone knows a good beta, please let me know!_

 _Review, Favorite, or Follow! Much appreciated._

 _Rose_


	22. Chapter 22

**February 21** **st** **, 1977**

The weekend went by boringly for most of the students, especially in comparison to the long list of catastrophes that had occurred the castle recently. On Monday morning, students chatted about work and whatever else, but nothing of substance. Even the Marauders felt rather drab, but that was definitely due to their Leader feeling like a soggy piece of garbage all weekend.

"It's like Dementors wiped out his soul," Hestia Jones observed as she nibbled at her toast.

Dirk Cresswell drummed his fingers against the table as he watched Camilla Henley watch James Potter with envy and irritation. This whole weekend the brunette watched the sixth year as if she were some Private Investigator, honing in her case. The girl was driven, that's for sure. He sincerely wished that she'd stop angering herself.

Camilla's attention shifted on Lily Evans as she walked down the aisle of tables with stack of papers in her hand. Her glare became harsher and angrier. If she had heat vision, it would've been over the back of Lily Evan's head.

"Camilla," Dirk called out, tapping her shoulder. "You might break your fork."

The brunette only turned to her friend for a moment, before dropping her fork onto her plate. She stood up and said, "I'll see you later." She stomped out of the Hall, brushing past Lily Evans.

If Lily had the energy or grit to do so, she would've called out Henley for her blatant act of disrespect. But, she wasn't up for it. She spent most of the weekend holed up in the library, finishing up work. Mainly, she did anything she could to not think about her excursion in the Shrieking Shack with Potter. She blamed it on the alcohol, but she knew it was her scapegoat.

As she was instructed to by Professor McGonagall, Lily walked over to the sixth year girls: Irina Allen, Michaela Hope, and Cassie Crow. She informed them that Appiration classes were going to begin next week, and if they were interested in the course, they'd have to make a payment to the Ministry of 12 galleons. Although she wasn't close with those three, they were nice enough to thank her before resuming their conversation.

Next were the Marauders. Why did Marlene have to sit with them today? Lily let out a long sigh before she walked further down the table with the forms in hand. She refused to meet James' stare as she approached them. She set down the papers and said, "Apparation classes are starting next Thursday. It cost 12 galleons, and if you lot are interested, the payment is due on Friday by 12pm. Got it?"

Sirius Black saluted the prefect and said, "At your service, Madam Evans."

"We pay it to McGonagall?" asked Peter, examining the sheet of paper.

"Read it," Lily said simply before stalking off. She couldn't stand the heat of James' stare and his slack jaw. He looked like a deer in headlights.

The Marauders plus Marlene watched as the redhead stalked off, out of the Great Hall. Sirius waited until she turned the corner to lean in to his best mate and asked, "Performance anxiety in the Shack?"

James jerked Sirius' arm off of him. "There was no performance at all," he said shortly. His friends gave him the same appraising look. "I mean it, we didn't do anything."

Marlene took a bite of her eggs. "Lily tells me everything," she said simply, chewing on her food, "and she refused to tell me what happened in the Shack, so that means something interesting happened."

"You're a skeptical friend," Remus noted quietly.

Marlene glared before shoveling another forkful of eggs into her mouth. She then looked to James and said, "Spill, Cousin."

"Nothing to spill," James gritted through his teeth. He took a sip of his tea and re-focused on his edition of the Quibbler.

"You're a terrible liar," his cousin sighed.

"I don't want to talk about it, okay?" James grunted. "I don't need this from any of you." He stood up, grabbing his teacup and newspaper, and stomped out of the Hall.

"Emotional," noted Marlene. "He probably hasn't nutted in a few days," she added to the rest of the Marauders.

Peter shivered. For some reason, it was weird hearing that term come out of Marlene's mouth. "But he has. He spent all of Saturday with Henley."

Marlene cocked an eyebrow, now much more interested. "Ooh, that means Lily must've said something mean to him," she said. "Hm, feels like last year all over again, aye?"

"They were doing so well," Sirius sighed.

As Marlene and Sirius discussed James' and Lily's interpersonal progress, Remus looked over towards the Slytherin table. He watched as Dorcas at alone, reading a textbook and sipping on a cup of coffee. Before this, he had only seen her one time in the library. Before he could catch her in the Magical Mental Skills section, she disappeared. Remus' more paranoid side insisted that she was avoiding him, but his friends tried to convince him that she was just recovering. " _Give her time,_ " Lily urged him multiple times this weekend, _"she's been through a lot_."

Remus wanted to give her time, sure, but he also wanted to know what she knew. Or what she didn't? Where she was at? Being left in the dark infuriated him. The Full Moon wasn't even coming for another two weeks, and he felt like ripping the table to shreds with his teeth.

It peaked when Dorcas stood up, closed her textbook and walked out of the Great Hall. A few students gossiped as she passed by, increasing his rage. But, he was more focused on Dorcas' departure. She looked worn-out with dark bags under her eyes and tired skin. He had to figure out what was going on.

Remus moved without breaking his gaze from Dorcas. She moved slowly as she exited. "Oh, and there goes another." He heard Sirius mumble under his breath as he left. He trotted after the Slytherin girl, calling out her name one.

Dorcas froze but did not turn around.

"I've been trying to catch up to you," he said, trying to play casual, adding a soft chuckle at the end. "Fast off and on a broom." He immediately regretted saying that.

Dorcas took a deep breath before turning around. "Can I help you, Remus?"

Just by looking into her eyes, Remus could tell that she was not happy. Her jaw was clenched, and her eyes were as icy as they were blue. "I… I wanted tell you that I'm sorry about everything that happened. I'm glad… that you're okay."

Dorcas let out a scoff. She moved to the side of the courtyard entrance, letting students pass. She pulled out a cigarette and said in a short voice, "Do I really look okay to you, Remus?"

"Well, er… you always look good, but-"

"Remus, I'm very far from good or okay," she said in a lethal tone, blowing out all the smoke from her first inhale. "And I'm in no mood to explain myself."

Remus gulped. Dorcas knew everything, and she didn't even have to say the dreaded words. "Dorcas, I… I…"

"You kept Nagut from me, and all of that baggage," she argued, her voice becoming tenser. "I could've protected myself against these fucking usupers, stopped them from attacking more innocent muggle borns. And, now several people know about my ligilmency. Does that sound okay to you, Remus?"

"I didn't tell them about it," Remus said quickly, "I swear. I would never."

Dorcas made a face as she took another puff. "I know you didn't. But, Remus, my whole entire life just turned upside down and inside out," she said, now softening her voice. "I'm not a muggleborn anymore either, and you knew all about it."

"I was trying to protect you."

"I don't need you for that," she shrugged, "I don't need anyone for that. I wanted a friend."

Remus looked down at his feet, feeling unable to meet her eyes. The last time he felt this ashamed was when he nearly tore a part Severus Snape last year during a full moon.

"Friends don't lie to each other, Remus, no matter how important, " Dorcas finished. She looked hesitant now, unsure of what to say next. Or how to say it. "I'd rather we don't speak to each for a while. It's easier to forgive that way."

Remus took a step towards her, and internally jumped for joy when she didn't back away. "What can I do to make it go faster? I'll do anything," he whispered.

Dorcas let out a long exhale and took a step back. "Leave me alone," she said simply before turning around and walking out further towards the courtyard. She turned back before she was out of sight. "I'm… I'm sorry, Remus. I just can't trust you right now."

* * *

 **February 24** **th** **, 1977**

Remus stared at the back of Dorcas' head all throughout their Charms lecture, while James stared at Lily's profile. Well, the latter tried to be subtle about it and could pass it off better. He had a nice diagonal view of Lily, and it was the closest he'd been to her all week. (The middle row always had the best views.) Remus, on the other hand, was too forgone in thought and anxiety to care about his blatant glare.

Sirius, who sat across from the two love-struck idiots, was taking detailed notes. That's how bad it all was. And, it had been like this for days. James and Remus had been walking around like zombies, leaving poor Sirius bored and restless. Secretly, he craved the full moon (despite it being against the bettering of Remus' mental health) because it always meant a good run and a howl at the moon. He needed to do _something._

And just like that, he found something to occupy his time. Sirius crumpled up a ball of blank parchment between his hands quietly. He leaned back to allow for more windup space and shut one eye to target the back of James' head. Sirius imagined himself as Cupid, aiming his arrow at a brain instead with the intention to knock some sense into his best mate.

"Sirius," Peter whispered in a tense voice.

The braver (and more reckless) Marauder gave a short but precise toss with no hesitation. For a millisecond, Sirius Black really was a cherub. But that fantasy quickly crumbled because his stupid mate had just had to crack his neck at the same time.

Instead of the ball hitting James, it bounced off the side of Lily Evans' head.

"Oh, bullocks," grumbled Sirius, resting his head on his hands. Peter pinched the bridge of his news and began scribbling down notes. They were the most notes the latter had taken all lecture.

Lily snapped her head at whom she thought was the attacker: James. She glared at his flabbergasted face with a set jaw and reached for her wand that lay inside her pocket. She turned her head

"T-that wasn't me," he mouthed quietly, waving his hands in a defensive manner. Marlene turned her head too and immediately scoffed. It sounded oddly like "dipshit."

Lily whisked her wand effortlessly, without even looking in James' direction. Suddenly, his papers scattered all over the desk, messing up Remus' work as well. A few students squeaked and shouted in surprise.

James raised his wand in retaliation, because no one could out clown James. Not even this irritable, temperamental, gorgeous peer would dare best him. He imagined turning lighting her paper on fire, as red as her hair.

"Mr. Potter! Miss Evans!"

The papers stopped flying, and the students stopped fussing. All eyes were on the dwarf professor standing in front of the classroom on his stack of colorful books. 'There will be no nonsense - this is not a circus," Professor Flitwick said irritably.

"I don't know, Professor," Lily said in a mocking voice, as she turned her head to James, "seems we already have a clown."

There were a few "oohs" and a few chuckles. Peter watched while biting on his fingernails, and Sirius just shook his head tiredly.

"I see myself as more of a big man," James said casually to Remus. A few more students giggled this time.

"Mr. Potter, Miss Evans," Professor Flitcwick intervened, trying his best stern voice, but was easily ignored. Watching Lily Evans and James Potter bicker was always refreshing during a class. In the most recent months, Hogwarts students had been deprived of the spectacle.

"Oh, big man?" Lily guffawed. "In your dreams."

"Evans, tell me." He sat up straighter and turned his full torso in her direction. "How sculpted is my chest?"

"Oh, you're a prick."

"That's pretty sculpted too, if you'd like to know-"

"DETENTION! DETENTION! DETENTION!" Professor Flitwick shouted, waving his hands frantically. "This is completely inappropriate. Mr. Potter, Miss Evans, meet me in my office saturday evening at eight o'clock."

"Professor," Lily groaned. "He threw paper at me."

"No, I actually didn't, Narcissist," James argued. "It was probably Sirius." He snapped his head in the direction of Sirius, who was picking his nails.

"Blaming your equally juvenile best mate whose actually behaving decently today?" Professor Flitwick asked rhetorically. "That's low, Mr. Potter, even for you. I'm uninterested in who started it, but actually with whom it ended with. Now, can we proceed with Helinski's wandless charm."

The class quieted, eventually re-focusing on the Professor's drab, yet useful information. Lily did her best not to give James the satisfaction of looking back at him and sticking her tongue out like a child. James did his best not to write her a note, explaining that it was one of those Marauder-on-Marauder pranks again.

( _Why did James Potter have to explain himself to Lily Evans?_ )

On the other side of the room, Sirius Black smiled. Maybe he was Cupid after all.

* * *

Marlene received mail so regularly that she often felt sorry for her poor owl, Angus. She sat in the common room by the circular window, feeding Angus bits of bread. There were a bunch of letters and subscriptions: _Rolling Stone,_ a letter from her aunt Kenna, The _Prophet_ , and a record from her cousin Andrew in Morocco. Nothing out of the ordinary.

Except from her brother.

Maxwell McKinnon, the eldest brother, loved his youngest sibling wholeheartedly. He would often send her presents from his travels and birthday cards, but never a regular letter. It wasn't even a postcard, but an actual envelope with a return address.

"Huh," She let out. She ripped open the top of the envelope with her nails and pulled out the parchment. She read quickly, mouthing the words:

 _Marlene,_

 _I hope the term is going smoothly. Sixth year is hard to manage with all of the new responsibilities of NEWT classes. Also, since you are now a legal witch, I bet you're wiping Rosemerta dry. Just be careful, aye?_

 _Speaking of legality, Appiration Classes will be starting. I know this how, you ask? Not only was I once a Gryffindor too, but I am still in contact with our Headmaster. He wrote me that he needed a licensed Appirition Professor. Since I am currently out of work, I decided why not?_

"Why not?!" Marlene read aloud loudly. The owl flew back outside in response momentarily, wary of its owner. "You fucking-"

"Oy, McKinnon," a voice called out. She turned her head slowly to her mental-intruder. Of course, it was the big mouth himself, Sirius Black, lounging with his back against the couch's arm. "There are innocents present," he said proudly, motioning towards the students.

She gave him a long unamused look. "My brother is our Appiration teacher," she said.

Sirius let out a low whistle. "That's rough."

Marlene laid her head against the cold window. "There goes my entire social life." Sirius wanted to laugh, but decided to keep his commentary to himself. "Whose going to want to shag the professor's sister?" She added a groan.

After a moment of Sirius regarding Marlene McKinnon's lean physique and fierce visage, he said, "I would."

Marlene shifted her head to look him directly in the eyes. She couldn't read him, never could. That's what she hated about Sirius: he didn't make sense. He looked at her so gently and calmly, like he was talking about literally anything else in the world. Merlin, she despised that look. "Bugger off," she grumbled before leaning her head back.

Sirius let out chuckle as he stood up. He sat beside Marlene on the couch and smirked, "That's not a no."

"Oh, please," she scoffed without looking at him. The boy was trying to play her at her own game. "There was no question to answer."

"Wanna shag, McKinnon?"

Marlene sat up and gave him a look that she had never given him before. She saw his pupils dilate and his jaw slack; she had to admit, that made her feel pretty good. No one could ever deny that Sirius Black was exceptionally attractive, but Marlene had grown up with him. His looks hadn't dawned on her until the beginning of their sixth year when he grew out his hair a bit and developed a sharper lines. Marlene put a hand on his cheek, caressing his olive skin with the pads of her finger. She enjoyed the way his breathing slowed. Focusing on him almost made her forget how annoying her life just became.

"No," Marlene said simply before leaning back against the window pane.

"Wow, that was rather anti-climatic," Sirius sighed, rubbing his thighs for concentration. "Felt nice though."

"Thank you."

"Are you saying no because you don't want to fuck me or because you're not attracted me? No pressure, Love, but it's just a quick query."

Marlene thought about this, tapping her foot to an internal beat in her head. She hummed as she imagined herself riding Sirius Black. She'd seen him in nothing but a towel, and the sight wasn't bad. The thought of him sweating beneath was rather invigorating.

But why would they be on the bed? No one in Hogwarts except the Heads ever got the privacy to shag on a bed. Marlene's mind projected a picture of a crammed closet shag. That's how he banged Dorcas Meadowes. The school was small, but she didn't like the idea of fucking a friend's previous shag. Or her cousin's best friend.

And since her brother was coming into town, that meant her brother's cousin's friend too.

"I'm not shagging you because that would mean complications," Marlene said, finally looking at him. Just thinking it made her tongue tie in knots.

"It doesn't have to be," Sirius shrugged.

She let out a short laugh. "By nature it is, aye?"

"Look, I know that we have known each other for an exceptionally long time, McKinnon," Sirius said in his most even voice, "but, don't you think that one time, for the one-night stand epics, we could make our complicated history, less complicated?"

"Sirius, you're made of complications. And it's not a bad thing, because Bloody Hell, I am too. It would never work. You and I… we…"

"I'm waiting," Sirius teased after a moment.

"Sirius," she said in a clear tone, like she was about to explain the Big Bang, "we're messy people when it comes to shagging. We shag and go, we're good at it."

"Yes," Sirius agreed, nodding his head slowly. "I don't see the predicament."

"Our former flings hate us," Marlene added, searching for more excuses. "Well, not all of them, but you get the point, Mate. We're too close to be messing around with each other. Think of what it would mean. Think of James."

"I'm highly uninterested in thinking of James and you right now."

"But, see that's the issue! James is my cousin, and you're his best friend. I don't like you as at all-"

"Hey!"

"Okay, okay, I tolerate you," Marlene corrected herself, "but, even if I am attracted to you, we couldn't ever go back to being…"

"Sirius and Marlene," he finished for her.

"Precisely," she said, slapping her hand on his knee. She immediately regretted touching him, because now her body was hyped up with the thought of shagging. She snatched it back before he could even recognize it. "Also, do you really want to fuck the Professor's sister?" She emphasized.

Sirius regarded her once again. The way he looked at Marlene made her body feel hot, and that was not okay with Marlene. "Kind of," he answered, while standing up, "but, only if she wants to."

"What if I never want to?" She asked.

Sirius smirked. "Don't get ahead of yourself, Marlene. I am Sirius Black."

" _I am Sirius Black,"_ she mocked. "What does that even mean?"

"I could have you begging for me if I really wanted to," he laughed haughtily. "I'm not playing Prince Charming act for you out of respect."

"That's comforting," she snorted.

Sirius shrugged. "Some birds know how much of tart I am and still fuck me enjoyably. Dorcas Meadowes for instance."

Marlene considered his honesty. She gave him a look, eyeing him up and down. "I'm not like other birds."

"No, you aren't," he agreed, "more like a Hippogriff."

Marlene scoffed and punched him in the shoulder. "Darling, a Hippogriff's legs got nothing on me."

"Couldn't be more true," he agreed with a nod.

Marlene laughed and tucked a piece of hair behind her ear. "I'm still not sleeping with you," she said. "Not now, not ever."

Sirius let out a long exhale. He shoved his hands into his pocket and walked right in front of her. She was in line with his chin and peered up at him. "Give me two months."

"I beg your pardon?"

Sirius Black smirked. "Give me two months, McKinnon, to let me show you how much of a gentleman I can be. I won't even kiss you."

"Oh, Merlin,"

"I don't expect your commitment, and I don't expect us to go on dates," he scoffed, "and I pray you don't expect mine. But just, you know, every now and then, let me show you that I'm perfectly aware of how different you really are, Marlene McKinnon."

She examined him carefully, taking note of his every word and expression. Again, she was unable to read him. She wanted to listen to his heartbeat for certainty even. She refused to be played by Sirius Black.

"You'd really want to wait two months to shag me?" Marlene asked curiously. "I can just say no."

"But will you is the real question," Sirius countered as he wagged an eyebrow. "So, what do you say, Marlene?" He asked, putting his hand out. "Fancy a game?"

 _Oh, that's it,_ Marlene thought. She took his hand and said, "I hope you enjoy blue balls."

Sirius remained cool as the February air. He gave her a wink before walking away.

Marlene only turned back to her brother's letter once Sirius walked up the stairs towards the dormitories. She didn't actually know if she wanted to read the rest, because how could there be anything left to say. But, it seemed that there were more lines:

 _I know that this may not be the most pleasant concept for you. It'll be hard having me as your professor, but I promise to stay out of your social life as much as possible. I intend to have my own life, as well._

 _That being said, I expect the same from you. I know you have a tendency to talk back to your professors as is, which is a McKinnon trait. But, for the sake of my income, please let's do this cordially. I reassured Dumbledore that our relationship will not inhibit the classroom experience. I hope I did not lie to him._

 _Maybe we can meet this weekend in Hogsmeade. I'll be coming in on Sunday. A butterbeer at Three Broomsticks, 4pm? See you then._

 _Your brother,_

 _Max_

Marlene rested the parchment down. She wanted to tear it to shreds with her own teeth, but decided against it since she was in public. She'd have to Lily and James, since they both knew Max well. But separately. Telling anything to those two together ensured a nasty debate. Who else did she have to tell?

"Oh, fuck." Marlene realized that she'd have to let someone else know. That person would be Dorcas Meadowes, and she instantly hated her entire life.

* * *

 **February 26th, 1977**

"Well, your entire social life just went down the drain," Emmeline said as she slid into the bath tub in the Girl's Bathroom. She splashed the warm water at Marlene, who took the water to her face.

It had been a few weeks since the girls had been able to have enough time for a proper bath session. They were all busy with their own things and the anti-usuper crisis. (No one quite knew where that was now, but they also had term finals to consider.) But everyone deserved a decent relaxation afternoon with their friends..

"Thank you, Captain Obvious," she deadpanned.

"Well, are you going to tell Dorcas?" Mary asked curiously. "Because last time she saw your brother probably was more intimate than a large class setting."

"I know, I know," Marlene dismissed. She let out a loud groan. "But, how do I even explain that to her? _Hey Doe, I know you probably hate my guts right now and are probably processing a shitload about yourself, but I just wanted to leave with tad bit of info. My brother, whom you snagged on New Year's, will be our Apparation teacher. Cheers!_ "

The three other girls rolled their eyes. "Okay, down Drama Queen," Emmeline insisted.

"Oh, says you," the blond countered. "Em, you're playing hide-and-seek with your boyfriend, or ex-boyfriend, because of some vision. That hasn't happened yet. And I'm the dramatic one?"

"Yes, you are," Emmeline said shortly. "Because, this has nothing to do with you. You should be worried about how Dorcas going to handle this if you don't tell her soon. And don't bring Robert into this!"

"Yeah, that was kinda low," Lily whispered softly, earning her a glare from the tall blond scotswoman. "I'm just saying!"

"Don't you have detention to attend to?" Marlene asked heatedly. "With my cousin?"

Lily sucked her teeth. She had been avoiding James Potter, and thoughts of him, all day. She holed herself up in the library after class and skipped dinner to avoid any chance encounters. She had to stock up on her alone time before spending a detention with him. "Don't remind me. It's in a half-hour by the way."

"Speaking of dramatics," Emmeline said, leaning against the edge of the bath. She batted her eyelashes as she looked at Lily. "Lovers' quarrel in Charms, Lily? C'mon, that's so last year."

"Lovers' quarrel?" The redhead repeated, aghast. "Don't get me started on you, Emmeline Miyoung Kim." Emmeline scoffed and gave Mary and Marlene a look, but kept her mouth quiet. Once you got Lily seeing red, there was no stopping her. "I don't even like him. He's James Potter, whom ruined my relationship and annoyed the moment since I stepped foot in this castle six years. He's been nothing but a self-righteous prick to me."

Mary made a skeptical face. It twisted a little as she thought. "Do you really believe that about him?" She asked hesitantly, not wanting to enrage her further.

"Naturally," Lily retorted.

Mary made a face, which the Ginger was going to openly question. However, Marlene cleared her throat. She leaned back and said flatly, "You're in denial, Lily."

"Am not."

"Are too."

"I am not, and I'm not going to do this Looney Tune skit with you," Lily said in a final tone. "I don't like James Potter. I tolerate him, but I surely don't like him."

The girls exchanged dubious glances before starting up a conversation about something else mundane. They were all aware that their friend was lying to herself, and the worst part of it all was that even Lily knew that she was lying to herself. If she had been honest, or even thought about doing so, her stomach clenched worse than PMS cramps. It was childish and immature and she truthfully deserved to be slugged in the jaw, but it worked for her.

At least for now.

* * *

 _A/N - BLACKINNON BEGINS~ I hope you all enjoyed the chapter. Thank you once again for your support. Please favorite, follow, or review if you'd like to show your support. Thank you!_

 _Warmly,_

 _Rose_


	23. Chapter 23

**Still February 24** **th** **, 1977**

It was the same dream as always. Truthfully, it was more on the nightmare end of the spectrum, but Dorcas Meadowes had a tendency to downplay the symbols in her life. It made things easier to process and cope with on a daily basis. But, that didn't make anything less disturbing.

She dreamt of her mother burning in the fiery pitts of Hell. Or, she had to assume it was Hell with the dungeon theme and the rancid smell. For some reason, Dorcas is still surprised in her dream. She would try to run to her mother each time. And each time she woke up, she immediately regretted falling asleep.

These dreams made her walk as if she were a reverent. She'd stagger through the halls, trying her hardest not to bump into fellow students. Now try imagine to suffer through a class. It was nearly impossible not to pass out, which she had done twice now (once in Potions and once in Transfiguration).

The added-stress and noise of telepathy made hours of wake grim. The voices never shut-up, causing Dorcas to feel out of control like she did back in her fourth year. It was like she was constantly on high-alert. The wall re-construction was moving slowly, and even though Dumbledore advised her to take her time, it was all easier said than done.

Her mentor also informed her that occulemency was nothing like ligilmency. He considered ligilmency as a form of connection, while occulemency was a form of solitude. It made absolutely no sense to Dorcas, and she would have to wait and find out with her new teacher. She'd meet him next Tuesday for a light supper with Dumbledore in his office. With her wall down, she was unable to stop herself from entering the Headmaster's mind. Luckily, Professor Dumbledore was one of the most apt Occulmens she had known. She was met with blurred images and natural silence. It reminded her of the ocean. Why couldn't more people be like this?

So, one could understand how Dorcas Meadowes was preoccupied in her thoughts (some of them not her own). So, it was fair that Dorcas wasn't really paying attention to where she was walking. She didn't respond either when someone called out her first name. It took a physical pull to stop Dorcas from dragging her feet through the hall.

"Oy, Dorcas," a voice called out. An actual voice, not a thought inside someone's head.

Dorcas looked up and saw that Marlene McKinnon had prevented a possible concussion. "Oh, thanks, Marlene," she said in a daze. She examined the brick wall, wondering how it got there.

Marlene gave her an appraising look. "We need to get you some caffeine," she observed.

Dorcas shrugged. "That's probably true." She looked to Marlene and noticed the blond's rounder eyes. She always had big eyes, but Dorcas noticed the sly darting motion that never quite met her eye.

 _What if she already knows? Oh, she probably does. I mean, she's staring at me right now._

"What don't I know?" Dorcas asked.

Marlene's eyeballs nearly fell out of the socket. She composed herself quickly though. "That's extremely unnerving," she said.

"No point in hiding it now, aye?" Dorcas said. "Wanna go out to the courtyard for a smoke?"

"Sure…" Marlene never thought Dorcas Meadowes would actually be this calm in real life. Before she had truly met the Slytherin, Marlene assumed that she was hiding something behind that facade, or imitating that too-cool-for-school shite. Even thought it was true that she was hiding something - a ruddy huge something - Marlene still did not expect calmness to be a genuine trait. "So, you aren't you raving mad right now?" Marlene asked cautiously, following behind her slowly.

"No," Dorcas said as they turned towards the courtyard. "I haven't really had time, or patience, to think about it too deeply. So, no, I'm not upset with you, Marlene."

They took a bench under one of the large trees. Snow floated gently from the gray clouds. Marlene and Dorcas brushed the seat and sat beside one another. The darker-haired one was about to offer one, but Marlene beat her to it.

"They're from Amsterdam," Marlene winked.

"Hm," Dorcas mused before taking it. She nodded as thanks. She lit the cigarette with her own lighter and then passed it to Marlene to do the same. "Now, why do you want to talk to me about Apparation?"

"H-how do you know that?" Marlene stuttered. She patted her forehead. "How does _this_ work?"

"I'm not getting into that. Spill."

Marlene made a face. She wasn't sure how to say it. But, then again, maybe she didn't have to outright. _Would this be considered a warning?_

Dorcas made a face now, blowing out the smoke too. "Warning for what?"

"So, everything I think right now, you can hear?" Marlene asked.

"Unfortunately, yes."

"It's like hearing my voice?"

"Exactly like hearing your voice."

Marlene bit her cheek. _On a scale of one to ten, how good was Sirius Black in the closet?_ A test run.

"Eight."

 _Should I fuck him?_

"If you really want to…?"

 _That's not weird to you?_

"I have so much more going on right now. Like wondering why you want to try so hard not to think about Apparition."

Marlene scoffed as she took a drag. "That's impressive," she said, attempting nonchalance. She kept her face as neutral as possible, but she was a creature of emotion. It was too hard to hide her fear and uncertainty. She was easier to read than a children's book.

Dorcas read her crystal clear thoughts, not by choice of course: _Look, Dorcas is reasonable… most of the time. At least with me, not Remus._

"Don't make me mad," Dorcas interrupted the chain of flow.

 _Sorry,_ Marlene thought awkwardly, staring at her cigarette. _Now, I can't think about it. That's weird, aye?_

The Slytherin took a deep breath, now tired of silence. Something she never thought was possible. She rested her hand on top of Marlene's simply and, for a moment, became Marlene McKinnon.

Everything in her current consciousness was now in Dorcas'. Her wall reconstruction covered enough to not penetrate further into Marlene's memories. She did re-experience her conversation with Sirius Black about gentlemanliness and social-shag contracts ( _weird_.), her morning breakfast ( _buttered over-burnt toast.)_ , her solo vocal practice in the Tower _(outstanding.)_ , and hanging out with Lily, Emmeline, and Mary.

Interesting.

 _Is she listening to me, or just invading the crap out of my psyche? Will she just know about the letter?_

Marlene's mind shifted into the Gryffindor common room where the blonde regarded an envelope. It stuck out, and it only took Dorcas a millisecond to figure out why. The return address shocked her so much that she instantly pulled her hand away from Marlene's. She looked to Marlene helplessly, as if begging for her memories not to be true.

"You saw?" Marlene grimaced.

"You saw that letter?" Dorcas asked. "It's not a dream or something, right?"

Marlene shook her head, as he curls swayed along with her. Dorcas knew that was the honest truth. "Max's coming tomorrow, I'm meeting him."

Dorcas let out a long sigh. "If things weren't already shite…" She wasn't talking to Marlene, just the air.

"I'm so sorry, Dorcas," Marlene added, putting a hand on her shoulder gingerly. "I don't think you want to, but if you want to join us-"

"- To make things less awkward for the long run?" Dorcas finished for her friend. Marlene gasped, still shook by the accuracy of Dorcas' telepathic power. "Yeah, that's not possible."

Marlene only _really_ knew Dorcas for the past two months or so, but she knew enough about the Slytherin to know that she was deeply uncomfortable right now. Dorcas looked as if she were still processing this information, or reading further into Marlene's mind. She began to sweat - a rarity in the winter.

"I'm going to go," Dorcas whispered after a long moment.

"Good choice."

Dorcas left without another word, moving away as fast as she could. She didn't even turn back when Marlene called out, "I'm here if you need me…" That being said, Marlene did get quieter as she finished her sentence. Marlene wondered if she should run after her.

She made the right move, because Dorcas wanted nothing more than to be alone. It wasn't the fact that she had to process that a former snog was about to be her Apparition Professor. Truthfully, that was not even on her mind right now. She was more preoccupied with the fact that her skin felt like fire. It felt like she was burning alive, so intensely that she sat herself by a tree. She slid her hands into the snow, but felt no cool relief. She slammed the back of her head against the bark, anything to ease the pain. However as long as she didn't yelp or scream, she'd be content. No one needed to be a part of her episode.

After a few minutes, hours, days, who really knew, the pain disappeared. It vanished as quickly as it had come. Dorcas sighed once she felt the cool breeze hit her face, relishing it.

Dumbledore mentioned that Voldemort would be after Dorcas. He made clear that it would not only be through physical attacks, but also mental. She wondered if this qualified, and would this incident be appropriate to report.

Dorcas' new professor should be able to explain. Then, she felt another pain beat against her chest. This one felt more like a tightening, and she had a feeling that this was going to vanish as instantly as the last attack. No, this was going to be drawn-out.

What were the chances that Hogwarts would be enrolling two new professors at the same time? Unlikely. Dorcas gulped at the thought of Max McKinnon not only teaching her in apparition, but also occulemency in private quarters.

Dorcas shook her head several times. "Impossible," she muttered, finally standing up from her spot in the cold. Dumbledore would never do something so irrational. He would never employ a professor who had previous relations (brief relations) with a student for obvious reasons.

Then, again did Dumbledore even know she and Max McKinnon had snagged? With any luck, she desperately hoped not.

* * *

"Good luck, Mate," chuckled Sirius Black. He was laying on his bed, skimming through his mail while James Potter shimmied on a pair of old torn jeans.

"Sod off," James grumbled without looking at him.

"What?" Sirius asked, confused. "I'm just trying to be a supportive friend."

"A supportive friend wouldn't have gotten the other in detention with a bird who wants to chomp off his head," James countered coolly as he slipped on a long-sleeved shirt, one that he used for odd jobs.

Sirius lifted his head and smirked, "Which head?"

James made a gagging noise. "Oh, c'mon now," he whined, "I'm trying to be decent with her, and I don't need you giving me anymore _indecent_ ideas about her before I spend an evening dusting shelves with her."

"Okay, okay," Sirius said, resting his letters down. "One, you haven't wanted to be _decent_ with Lily Evans since you were thirteen years old. Two, your sadomasochist subconscious has conjured up more than enough indecent ideas that you can't really be gobsmacked by the idea of a blowie. And three, I do not like to be whined at James Potter."

James rolled his eyes at his dramatic friend. Sirius couldn't see the urgency of the impending situation. In his six years, they had never gotten detention by themselves. There was that one time in their second year involving a common room food fight and four hours of wall cleaning, but there was Sirius, Remus, Peter, Marlene, and the Prewetts. The thought of solo attention with Evans sounded liked purgatory.

 _Maybe Flitwick will be joining us?_ James, just then, had a terrible mental image of an office threesome and immediately wanted to hurl.

"Are you okay?" Sirius asked cautiously, yet still laid in his bed.

"No," James pouted as he slipped his wand into his pocket. "I hate you."

"Oh, don't say that before leaving me, Love," he said, adding a loud smooch at the end.

James did his best not to laugh as he walked to the door. "Whatever. Okay, I think I'm ready to walk to my death."

"That's the spirit. Quick query before you go, would you be opposed to the idea of me shagging Marlene?"

To Sirius' surprise, James simply scoffed and walked out the room silent. Sirius did not like that. A Potter always demanded the last word. Nonverbal cues were a novelty.

 _Well, he didn't say no,_ Sirius thought. It was the randier part of himself making an appearance. A seventeen-year old boy had needs too. But this was not about hormonal fluctuations - this was about seducing the un-seducable. Marlene McKinnon was simply too-much woman. He had heard Marlene's past hook-ups praise the bird on her skills, boosting their morals for bedding the 'feat.' And he had heard Marlene critique the same boys harder than McGonagall grading OWL essays. It was tantalizing to spectate, but Sirius could only hold back his competitive side for so long. He had to win Marlene McKinnon over in a way that no one else could.

Sirius decided to interpret James' departure later and re-focused on the letters in front of him. The one that caught his eye had a black seal with a sigil of a wolf. It belonged to Alphard Black.

Sirius rolled his eyes as he broke the seal. He had made it clear to his uncle that this inheritance business was a bad idea during the last get-together. There was no reason to worry about his uncle's death preemptively, and Sirius was not in the mood to be thinking about a will and a potential Howler from his genetic creators.

"Old turd," Sirius grumbled. He unfolded the parchment quickly and scanned the message:

 _Dear Nephew,_

 _I know the last time we spoke was not as pleasant and appealing as I wanted it to be. New Year's should've been a time for celebration, not post-mortem organization. I apologize for presenting the news in that fashion._

 _I acknowledge that what I said may have been shocking._ ("No shite.") _I do remember you saying that you were not interested in inheriting my fortune, but I am still confused as to why. It may be best to discuss more of this once again face-to-face. I can understand opposition, but Sirius you must understand that this fortune will go_ somewhere. _And I do not want it in the hands of my sister, or anyone else with a face on Walburga's tree. You owning this fortune will prevent my nightmare from realizing._

 _I want to visit you at school this weekend. Not at the castle, of course. Your Headmaster is still terse with me for quitting after a year in '65. That story is for another time. I will be at the Three Broomsticks at 3pm on Sunday, and yes, I do know that this upcoming weekend is a Hogsmeade weekend. So no excuses necessary._

 _Until then._

 _Your Uncle,_

 _Alphard_

Sirius read the letter twice more through before calling his uncle an "old turd" again. Although Alphard was by far his favorite blood-relative, the old man was still a Black: manipulative and demanding. Of course, Alphard would turn their pure and mutual hatred for their family against him. It was unfair and distracting. Sirius wanted to think about Marlene McKinnon instead.

* * *

"So you both understand why you're here, correct?" Professor Flitwick stood on a stack of books beside his desk. He wanted to be at eye-level with his students as he lectured them.

James and Lily both tried to speak at the same time, and that was overwhelming to the small man. They were both so passionate and loud that neither one could be heard properly. "Stop, stop, stop!" demanded Professor Flitwick, silencing the two Gryffindors. "Are you aware of what just happened, just now?"

The two exchanged resentful glances. "We've always bickered," James muttered, leaning against another stack of books. Professor Flitwick had multiple piles of books stacked througout his office, some taller than James even, on the floor and in the windowsills. How could anyone move, yet alone find something?

"Bicker is too kind of a word," Lily countered without looking at her detention-buddy.

Professor Flitwick clapped his hands together. "Exactly," he said, "you two have always been like this." That made them shut up, which the Professor found quite peaceful. "It was expected when you were younger but now you are NEWT students and are about to be seventh years. You should be focusing on the fact that graduation is next year instead of finding ways to annoy one another in my classroom."

Lily flushed. She had never seen her professor so upset before; he was normally a rather lenient person.

"You are a prefect," he said, pointing to Lily before pointing to James, "and you, the Gryffindor Quidditch Captain. Little eleven year-olds look to both of you for support, guidance, and social-status advice. What would they do if they saw how you acted that day in class?"

"It was Sirius," James tried quietly, immediately regretting it.

"I don't care who it was," Professor Flitwick said, waving off the boy's poor attempt at an excuse. "I care about the result. The way you two acted and feed off each other was not acceptable classroom-ettiequte. Insult-after-insult. Don't you two get tired?"

"Yes," they both agreed. They exchanged quick glances before snapping their head at their professors.

Professor Flitwick shook his head. Some lessons just had to be self-taught. He took a deep breath. "Your assignment tonight is to dust all my books."

"Is that hygienic?" Lily wondered aloud.

The Professor ignored the comment. "Then, you will put those books in that corner back onto the top shelves. No magic."

"Professor!" James shouted, as if he had just accused them of murder. "That's ludicrous; it'll take hours."

"You'll live," shrugged the Professor. He hopped off his stack of books and slid on his robe. "I'll be back in two hours and expect to see some decent progress. No dilly-dallying." He walked out the classroom without another word, proud of himself for his discipline.

The door closed after Professor Flitwick left. They heard the door lock itself, ensuring no early escape. Lily and James looked to each other for a long moment, neither one was sure of what to do. It was a like a game of Chicken.

Lily was the first to break contact. She stalked over to one side of the room as she pulled out a rag from her pocket. "I'll do this side, you do that side," she said, keeping her voice level.

James didn't budge. "Are you going to ignore me this whole time?"

"I'll do my best to do so," she said, focusing intently on the number of rag strokes.

He let out a scoff. "You're seriously one of the most childish people I know." He walked over to his side of the room and took out his own rag.

"I am not," Lily countered hotly, finally looking up at him.

James decided two could play at this game. He simply stared back at her, saying nothing as he cleaned off his Professor's books. The ginger was smart and immediately caught onto his mockery. She let out a huff before moving down her first of fifteen stacks.

* * *

Emmeline was in the stacks of the library. She had a Divination project coming up about tarot cards as focusing objects for seers that she needed to get done by tomorrow's class. The Hufflepuff skimmed through the Divination section looking for the author, Susan Schupak, and it was taking forever and a half. Looking for the evidence and books took longer than writing the actual essay.

Emmeline made a right towards the Defensive Magic section. She thought she'd find her book right on the edge of the aisle but instead was met with something much different, but not unexpected.

Well, it was sort of unexpected because one could never really get used to the sight of an ex-partner being straddled by a blond peer. Emmeline nearly dropped her books at the sight of Lucinda Talkalot sitting on top of a desk with both of her skinny legs on either side of Robert. She had a hand on his tie and looked as if she was going to eat him, like a Black Widow luring its prey.

"I'm going to vomit," she whispered.

"Emmeline, wait!" Robert called out as Emmeline turned around and stalked away. "This isn't what it looks like!"

"Oh, Vance," whined Lucinda, leaning forward to stop him from getting up. "Don't be like that."

"Get off of me, Lucy," Robert demanded, pushing her back gently. He slid his chair back and followed Emmeline through the aisles. He caught up to her and grabbed her by the wrist, but she snatched it back.

Emmeline spun around. Robert expected to be punched in the jaw, nose, or throat, but was actually untouched. Instead, he was just met with a small angry girl right in front him, with tears swelling up in her tear ducts. He had dated her for a whole year and had never seen her try and hold back tears before. But, right now, her pride was in control and unwavering.

"Listen, you came in at a bad spot-"

"I told you so," Emmeline interjected calmly. "I told you so."

Robert shook his head. "It's not what you think."

The Hufflepuff looked down at her feet and scoffed, "I don't even care. Go have fun with Lucy, aye?"

"Don't be like this, please."

"Don't follow me," Emmeline said, ignoring his plea. She turned around again and left him. He reached out for her but before he could even touch her, Emmeline warned, "I'll scream if you touch me one more time."

The threat came off as a shock, so much so that Robert Vance didn't move for a moment. It was long enough for Emmeline to have walked away and not look back.

Robert let out a quiet 'fuck' as he kicked the edge of a book shelf. Why were girls so complicated?

* * *

"Fucking Bullocks!"

"What happened?!" Lily sat straight up from bending over dusting Flitwick's collection of fertility charms textbooks. For the past hour and a half, James and Lily had remained to their respective sides dusting in silence. Occasionally, they'd hear one another chuckle at the title or the content of a book. They were almost done with cleaning the stacks of books, and James had just begun to set-up for placing the books on the shelves. That's how it had happened.

"Nothing," James groaned as he sat down on a pile of books. He crossed his leg and began rubbing the arch of his book. "Chipped piece of wood on the ground."

She tried not to come off too interested. She leaned her head up, trying to get a view. It wasn't just a piece, but a small part of a plank inserted into James' big toe. "Merlin…" she whispered.

"It's nothing."

"Ha. Sure. Why are walking barefoot anyway?"

"I don't like shoes," he said simply. He scratched his head and examined the piece of wood. "Do I take it out, or just leave it?"

Lily rolled her eyes. Of course, James Potter didn't know proper first aid. For a moment, she thought about letting him figure it out on his own; it would be good for the spoiled prat. But the reality sunk in that she'd probably have to clean-up after his bloody mess and then explain it to their professor.

She grabbed a clean rag from Flitwick's desk and walked over to James. He looked surprised as she approached him. She bent down in front of him and observed the situation. Once she made her assessment, she looked up at him. "This'll hurt."

James had a sarcastic reply about Quidditch Training, but it never came out. Instead, he grunted as Lily ruthlessly pulled the hunk of wood out. Immediately, she wrapped the rag around his foot tightly, stopping the incoming bleeding. She tied a knot that would make a girl scout proud and said, "Don't take it off."

After James examined the decent bandage, he looked up at Lily. She was washing her hands in a sink. "Where'd you learn that?" He asked.

"My uncle was an ER Doctor. He taught me some basic stuff."

"ER?"

"Emergency Room," Lily clarified. "It's a muggle Healer."

"Magic would've been easier for this incident though, no?"

Lily looked around the room and circled a finger in the air. "Magic-free zone."

"You can tell that?" James asked, looking at the office in a new light now. He was decent at charms, but never found it to be his strong suit. Charms was a subjective art, in comparison to Transfiguration that had formulas and rules to follow.

Lily nodded. "It's to ensure we don't use magic to speed up the process of books. Also, you could just say thank-you." She added a curt smile at the end.

"Thank you, Evans," James said, mockingly. He stood up and set the ladder up. Luckily, there weren't many books to put on the shelves, they'd be done within the half-hour. It was beyond James why Professor Flitwick would want his collections on the tip-top shelf. Ironic. "You should be the one to go up."

Lily made a face and instantly said, "No."

"Why not?"

"Why not you?"

"Because if I fall, you can't catch me. And I'd really rather not worry about a potential head injury. If you fall, I can catch you. Or at least, lessen your fall."

She looked at the ladder warily. He had a point. James was nearly 1.9 meters and was muscular. Lily was wiry and small, hitting 1.6 meters. It was a considerable difference. Even though it made sense, Lily still had zero desire to stand up on the rickety-looking ladder. "I don't want to…" She whispered.

James looked at the ladder and gave it a hard tap with his knuckles. "It's pretty sturdy."

"Hardly convincing."

"Evans, are you still afraid of heights?"

Lily bit the inside of her cheek. She didn't want to let her pride down again, especially with him. But, her phobia was obvious. "Yes…" she said.

James tried not to further antagonize the ginger by smiling, but it was hard. She was just so... cute sometimes. "I'll hold onto the ladder for you and will hand you the books. I won't let you fall either."

"You mean that you'll catch me if I do."

"Yes, I will."

Lily took a deep breath as she approached the ladder slowly. She looked all the way to the top and suddenly felt rather small.

"One hand on the ladder," James instructed.

A less-nervous version of herself would've told him to sod off, because she clearly knows how ladders work. But, right now, she was unsure of the truth in that statement. Lily put her right hand on the ladder and let out a long exhale. She put another one on and slowly began her climb.

"'Thatta girl," James smiled as she made her way onto the ladder. She even moved up without further instruction. "You're going to do fine."

"I feel like I'm about to re-experience my supper." Lily was on the third step.

"Okay, let's talk about something else."

"Like what?"

"Oh, like anything," James insisted. "What's your favorite color?"

"Burgundy. Yours?"

"Teal. What's your favorite exotic cuisine?"

"Japanese food. I like oshinko."

"Ah, good choice. Udon noodle soup always knows how to calm the heart." At this point, he was just trying to say anything to distract her from the fact that she kept climbing. He commended her for her bravery though, until she nearly slipped off it. She winced, holding onto the ladder for her dear life. "You good?" He asked quickly. "Want to come down?"

Lily shook her head, but didn't move the lower half of her body. After a few deep breaths, Lily resumed her climb and said, "Tell me something more interesting than your love of noodles."

James thought about this as Lily motioned for the first few books. He passed them to her and said, "Sirius asked me if he could sleep with Marlene."

Lily laughed shortly, a harsh noise. She bent down to take the books gingerly before hurriedly placing them in their correct order. "How does that make you feel?"

"I can't tell if he's fucking with me or not."

"True."

"I mean, she's my cousin and more than capable to take of herself. But, just the thought makes it seem weird. Ugh, now I'm getting terrible visuals."

"That's valid. He's your foster-brother and she's your cousin. Both of them are family, and you're allowed to be weirded out by that. Next set, please."

James was impressed by her speed and sensitivity. Although he did have feeling that she was moving quickly so that she could come down even faster. He passed them to her and asked, "Do you think you'd be weirded out?"

"Sure, but they're adults. Literally. Both Sirius and Marlene are of-age and allowed to make their own choices."

James faltered. He leaned against the book case with the next set ready and waiting. "But they're both arses."

Lily let out a laugh, a softer one this time, as she placed the next set. She motioned for the next set and said, "Yes, they are. Especially when it comes to relationships."

"I mean, they both believe in one-night stands and two-night stays. And if they go farther than time, it's barely for a week. They like to charm them and leave them more than shag them and leave them."

"Again, true," She agreed. "And you're worried about what that might do for you?"

James hadn't thought about it that way. "I guess."

"Would you like it if Marlene had a say in you shagging Henley?"

Now, that was uncalled for and unexpected. He looked down at the next set of books, which of course had to do with more sexual potency charms. No wonder the professor wanted those out-of-sight from students.

"She adds her say whether I like it or not," James revealed as he passed her the set of books.

Lily laughed again, this time softer. "Oh, does she ever. But do you listen?"

"Hell no," James said defiantly. "She's been calling Henley a tart since the New Year's party and now we're shagging. And that was the first night I kissed her." _And you,_ he wanted to add but thought better of it.

Lily waited for a moment. "Right," she said. "So, you don't get a say in whether she gets to shag Sirius. I mean, you didn't listen to her, she doesn't have to listen to you."

James exhaled. "Maybe I should've."

"Listened to Marlene?" She repeated. She never thought she'd live to see this day.

He nodded. "Last set," James said as he passed the books to her. When he realized that Lily was remaining silent for him to continue, he added, "Camilla has been on-edge recently."

"Explain."

"Well, it's like… she's following me. Everywhere."

"Oh. _Oh._ "

"Maybe she feels like I'm not telling her something, which is true. I couldn't have told her about all the Meadowes and Usuper shite even if I wanted to. She'd probably tell Cresswell and Jones in a heartbeat, and then they'd tell someone else, and then it becomes a bloody congo line."

"You can't be with someone you don't trust." It took Lily a minute to realize that she said it aloud instead of in her head. She coughed and said, "That's what happened to Connor and me. He stopped trusting me."

James gulped, unsure of what to add. "You know, I am sorry about that." It was better than nothing.

"Me too. Also, I shouldn't have put that on you."

"But you had a point," James said, still not sure why he was attacking himself. "Greyson would've always nervous if we were friends while you were dating. I should've stayed back."

"No, no," Lily said immediately. She took a deep breath. "I shouldn't be with someone who puts his own insecurities onto me. He thought my… acquaintance-ship with you would compromise mine with him and broke up with me because of it. And now that I've had time to process it, I just decided to blame you."

"Oh?" James asked, curiously.

Lily placed the last book and then looked down at James. His large hazel eyes were staring up at her, waiting. "You're an easy scapegoat for me, Potter. When something goes wrong, I blame you. I always have," she said. It sounded awfully similar to an apology.

James waited for her to explain that loaded statement, and when he realized that Lily wasn't going to do so, he simply exhaled. How many times could two people leave one another speechless?

"I'm going to come down now." Lily moved slowly down the steps, holding onto the ladder securely. Despite her cautious actions, Lily could not compete against good ole' fate. The wooden step broke towards the middle of the climb. She didn't fall backwards, but straight down, like a pencil dive into the pool.

It was only a moment of action since James was ready and waiting by the side of the ladder. He managed to somehow get himself between Lily and the ladder and wrap his arms around her thighs (right below her buttocks, which everyone was trying to ignore). His chin rested right above the hem of her jeans. He was looking up at her face, which was slightly hidden due to the fact that she had breasts. What he could see of her face was that she was panting for air and shaking. In a calm voice, he instructed, "Lily, take your hands off the ladder. I got you."

"E-easy for you to say," She said. "You have two feet on the ground."

"You can trust me. I won't let you fall." His words were surprisingly relaxed and level. She didn't know he could sound so serene.

It took another several seconds for Lily to listen to his words, but eventually, she lifted her hands off the wood. She imagined James falling backwards due to her weight and them colliding onto the ground and books. She thought of broken bones and scars, but was met with nothing. Absolutely nothing. He held her steady. "Rest your hands on my shoulders, not hard, please," he continued.

"What about tipping of weights?" She whispered, and not sure why she was speaking in a lower decibel.

"It's fine," he said gently. He had to maintain a voice to keep her calm, otherwise they'd both be in trouble. "Trust me."

Lily made a face but eventually rested her hands onto his shoulders gently, which were tense and solid masses. Perhaps that was the only thing she could focus on besides the idea of a falling death.

James lowered his grip around her thighs slowly. Slow enough to let her slide down his body and still close enough to hold her. He tried not to smile when his breath against her skin made her body shiver. He tried not to get an immediate erection when his face passed the valley between her breasts. It was hard being sixteen.

James only stopped when they were eye-to-eye, which was a rarity since they were a whole head a part. He just wanted to look into her eyes and see what she really meant. Why was she trying to apologize to him, and what was she doing to him?

For a moment, his mind wandered. He imagined something vulgar, yet pure. His body against Lily's, right up against the bookcase, and taking her. Of course, if she'd allow. They had been playing this game for so long now that he just had to at least try. She made think him fuzzy, and his heart race like he was constantly on adrenaline.

 _Why not?_ James thought.

Lily must've been thinking the same thing because she leaned in too. James Potter was truly in heaven.

Until he heard the door unlock. James cursed God (or Buddha, Zeus, Allah, etc.) and immediately set her down, just in time for Professor Flitwick's shadow to be visible. The little professor popped his head in. "Ah, well, you two have done a marvelous job. I didn't expect you to do so much in such a short time," he commended, looking around the room admirably. "Good teamwork, I suppose."

"You could say that," James muttered under his breath. Lily stepped on his toe. He wanted to holler and curse her out, but remained as silent as possible. At least, they wouldn't be awkward about their almost-song. What was this, the third time now?

"Well, off you go," Professor Flitwick said. "You ought to be tired. I'll give back those ten points for timeliness. You two did a splendid job. I hope you both now understand your positions in relation to one another and the rest of the school."

James wanted to say 'we sure do,' but decided against another round of foot-to-toe action. "Thank you, Professor."

"Good night, Professor," Lily nodded. She walked ahead with James on her tail out of the third floor office.

"Sleep well, you two," Professor Flitwick said, still admiring the cleanliness of his book collection. He closed the door without even looking at them.

James didn't stop walking once he started, same as Lily. There was too much going on in both of their minds and bodies. The two parts were clashing: mind says stay away, while body says why aren't you already ripping each other's clothes off. But, neither one wanted to be the first to initiate. They reached a stand-still like elementary school love where nobody wants to confess first.

 _You only get one chance, Potter,_ his brain reminded him. But his body reminded him that it seemed like she wanted to too.

Luckily, James didn't have to think too much about it. Because Lily made up her mind first. She stopped in her tracks, causing James to do the same. They were on the staircase now, almost by the Fat Lady's portrait. No one was in the hall, so no one would witness the spectacle of Lily turning around and trotting down the stairs right to James.

 _"_ Lily, what're you-" He didn't have time to finish his question, because Lily had taken his face into her hands. She pulled him close and pressed her lips warmly against him. James now for sure thought he was in Heaven, or at least, dead because no way would reality allow for Lily to be the one imitating a kiss with him. It just couldn't be real.

But then she parted her lips against his. And well, James didn't really care if he were dead or alive at this point. He took this opportunity to slide his tongue into hers, he wanted to be the first at something. His hands dropped to her hips, pulling her closer. He had to feel everything.

It felt like nothing before. Her skin felt soft and smooth, and her touch was warm. She tasted like vanilla and rain on cement. But the best part was hearing her whimper. Lily Evans fucking whimpered because of him. The sound was barely audible and short-lived, but he would't forgot that airy noise ever. It was addicting, and he had to hear it again.

But then, the Fat Lady's portrait swung open. She turned around as quickly as she could and wiped her lips. Hestia Jones came out through the portrait with their wands in hand, probably off to do their rounds.

"Hi," she said awkwardly. Although she didn't see anything since the castle was dark, she knew she had interrupted something or other. The looks on their faces gave everything away.

"Hi, Jones," Lily smiled, trying her hardest to seem bright. James just grinned, but immediately looked to the floor. "We're coming from detention with Flitwick."

"Oh, right. I heard about that from Camilla." She added the last part with emphasis, looking at James.

 _Message read,_ James thought to himself.

"Well, we best be going inside," smiled Lily. She trotted up the last couple of stairs with James following. Neither one decided to look at Hestia as they entered the Gryffindor common room. And neither one decided to look at each other as they returned to their respective dorm rooms.

* * *

 _A/N -I apologize for the late update. Things got pretty hectic recently, but I'm glad I got to update in two weeks and not longer! I hope the ending made up for things :) Enjoy! If you feel like it, please follow, favorite, or review. Constructive feedback is also wholeheartedly welcomed._

 _Thanks,_

 _Rose_


	24. Chapter 24

**February 27** **th** **, 1977**

"And, after we fought off the Horntail, I made it back to the pub to meet up with Nyla," Max McKinnon smirked as he took a large swig of his butter beer.

"You're a dog," His youngest sibling scoffed. "Can't keep it in your knickers if you even wanted."

"Oh, look who's talking," countered Max.

The two McKinnon siblings had spent the last half-hour in the _Three Broomsticks_ , throwing back beers like it was water and catching up on the past two months that they were a part. The siblings were loud, but funny too. The only one whom really had an issue with it was Madam Rosemerta.

"Will you two politely lower your decibel?" Rosemerta smiled too widely, spitting through her teeth. She rested down two more butter beers harder than the McKinnons expected before glaring at them. She walked away without a word.

Marlene glared as the barkeep walked away. "What's got her so pissy, aye?" She asked lowly.

"She's been mad at ever since our seventh year." For some reason, Max sounded content with that. Marlene thought better of asking what he meant.

Both of the siblings took a swig of their drink. It was nice to finally be able to drink with family, something Marlene always loved to do even if it was illegal for her a few months ago. However, this time was different. On the surface, the conversation was the same as always. But, Marlene could sense a tenseness in her brother that she hadn't felt before.

"What's on your mind, Max?" she asked coolly.

Max exhaled and ran a hand through his blond hair. "I need this job, Marley."

Marlene made a doubtful face. She wasn't sure she believed her brother's desperation, because she was fully aware their privilege the McKinnons had as rich pure-bloods. They were one of the original Scottish wizarding clans. He didn't _need_ a job ever.

But, Max was different from the rest of the McKinnon siblings. Firstly, he enjoyed music immensely but did not play. As a child, he grew up loathing his piano lessons and was more interested in sports. Secondly, the eldest brother had a deeply ingrained sense of independence. He barely used any of his family's moneys and often made a point out of making his own, which was not a lot. And lastly, he was damn sure more stubborn about defying their parents.

"You don't need money," Marlene clarified for him as she took a swig. "You _want_ money."

Then, Max gave her a look that she had never seen before. Her brother was normally stoic and never showed his true emotions, but for once, she could see genuine fear on his face.

"What've you gotten yourself into?" She asked, lowering her decibel.

Max took a deep breath before leaning in closer to his sister. '"You can't tell Mum and Dad. Seriously."

She nodded reverently. That's one thing they were all good at: keeping secrets from their parents.

"More and more Scottish Wizarding families are contemplating siding with _You-Know-Who_."

Marlene gasped. "Like which ones?"

"The McLaggens and the Clarksons, for starters, but I hear more and more every day," Max said sadly.

Marlene sucked in a breath, because these were families she had grown up along side. For fuck's sake, Tiberius McLaggen just graduated last May from Hogwarts with intentions of proposing to muggle-born Justine Bodsworth. In all her years of knowing these families, none of them had shown one ounce of racism. It all sounded too preposterous. "And what does this all have to do with you?" She asked.

"I was over at the Clarkson's a few weeks ago when they held a Poker Tournament."

"Ooh, Max," Marlene sighed, lolling her head back. She thought this was going to be more important than his oncoming addiction to gambling.

"I know, I know," he said quickly, "just hear me-"

"Dumbledore won't tolerate that from you as a Professor. He has high standards for his professors and none of them are gambling addicts!"

"Let me finish, aye? Then you can chew my head off," he said shortly. His little sister opened her mouth but decided to close it once more. "So, poker tournament. And during a break, I heard Ewan and Alan Clarkson saying something about going after Selma Quinn. For what reason, not sure. Either way, I saw that they cursed her chips. So, I acted."

Marlene couldn't blame her brother, because chances are she would do the exact same thing. McKinnons leaned toward impulsivity.

"I burned down Ewan Clarkson's house."

Marlene stared at him for a long moment with her jaw hanging and her eyes wide. Max had to snap in her face after a minute to see if her soul was still inside her body.

"You burnt down their house," Marlene repeated softly.

"Well, it was mainly to just get everyone out so that Quinn wouldn't be injured or killed. But, yes. I excused myself to the lou and set it on fire. It got a bit out-of-hand actually, and it burned down the entire house. Luckily, it wasn't the main estate."

"Luckily!?" Marlene repeated. "Are you mad? You just committed an act of terror. Arson terror against ruddy death eaters, Max!"

"Marlene, I know what I did. But, can't you see the bigger picture here?"

"Like what? How you're going to be on the run from the Clarksons for the rest of your life?"

"Like how Selma Quinn was targeted by her fellow pure-bloods."

Marlene stopped, because she hadn't noticed that. The Quinns were a powerful wizarding family that had been around for a long time, almost as long as the McKinnons. She closed her eyes and whispered, "Death Eaters are after pure-bloods now."

"Harder than ever," Max added. He rested a gentle hand over his sister's and continued, "The War is worsening outside of the Hogwarts walls, Marls. In nastier ways than you could ever imagine. I need this job to hide myself. Nowhere is safer than Hogwarts."

"Mum and Dad would protect you," Marlen reassured him. She wasn't sure why she was, but it was true. "You're their first child, Max."

Max nodded. "I know, but c'mon, Marley. When was I ever the type to run to our parents for help?" He tried to add a lightness to his statement by adding a small, unenthusiastic smile.

"Maybe it's time to start."

"I'm not running home to our parents. The less they know the better." He said it in a final sort of way.

Marlene wondered if she should bring up Dorcas Meadowes now. It seemed like her brother had more pressing matters at the hand, but has he realized that one of his students would now be one of his former snog-buddies? A mental image popped itself into her mind, and she immediately shook her head.

"When do classes start?" Marlene asked, trying to focus on something else besides her brother and Dorcas sharing saliva.

"Friday, I move in tomorrow. I'm staying with Abeforth until then. I still have more items to buy," he explained, standing up. He rested a few galleons on the table.

"Last question," Marlene said. She waited for Max to nod. "Does Dumbledore know why you're really here?"

Max nodded. "Yeah."

"And he still lets you come into his school?"

Max shrugged as they made way for the door. "He agrees that nowhere is safer than Hogwarts and that I am proficient in Apparation. That being said, I owe him a favor now. And for some reason, it scares me to owe a man like him."

Marlene nodded. She would be too. She reached for the door handle to exit. She was expecting to see a desolate winter sky in Hogsmeade village on this sunday afternoon. Instead, she was met with a very handsome boy and a crippled older man.

"Ah, McKinnons, what a pleasure it is to see you… both of you," Sirius Black smiled brightly.

Marlene had managed to avoid major one-on-one interactions with Sirius ever since they made their bet. She didn't want to give him the room for progression, but now, they were face-to-face in a doorway.

"Good to see you, Black," Max smiled, giving Sirius a firm handshake. "I don't know you though…"

"Alphard Black," said the older man. He was most likely in his fifties with graying hair, small dark eyes, and a long nose. He wore a tall purple hat and a dark-matching cloak, which hid a cherry-wood curved cane.

"This is Max McKinnon, who is going to be our new Apparition professor," Sirius explained. "And his sister, who is also my housemate, Marlene."

Alphard did not reach out to either of them, but simply nodded. He kept his hands tucked away inside his cloak. "We were just going to get some butter beers, would you like to join us?" He invited.

"No, no!" Marlene said, a bit too quickly. She kept her eyes off of Sirius and chose to direct her attention only at the older Black. "We just came from inside. My brother has to finish up some shopping while I have to go and finish a Music Essay."

"Yes, Sirius tells me that the McKinnons are a family of musicians."

"For the most part," Max smiled.

"Intriguing," Alphard nodded. "I do appreciate a family that's into the arts. Our family -" he focused on Sirius "- finds them to be too whimsical."

"Really is a shame," Sirius agreed without much conviction. He stepped closer to Marlene, causing the blonde to physically tense. He was so close to touching her, but managed to keep a sliver of air in between their bodies. They were close in height so he could stare right into her eyes "e took the weight of the front door from Max and said, looking directly into Marlene's eyes, "Too bad you can't join us."

"Maybe another time," she said slipping past him.

Max followed and tried his hardest not to laugh at their awkward departure. Teenagers. "Enjoy your drinks," he smiled, giving them space to walk in. He followed his sister outside, noting her tenseness. "Do I have to be worried about you two in my class?" It was intended to be comical, but came off as cynical.

"Don't even get me started," she grumbled.

* * *

Lily Evans couldn't start her day, a rarity for the prefect. She had plenty of things to do like work on prefect slips, finish an essay, or even eat breakfast. She instead spent her Sunday morning sitting in bed staring at the red canopy above her bed. Of course she took a few pee breaks and snacked throughout the morning.

All Lily could think about was that stupid kiss with James. It replayed in her head at least a hundred times. A few times she imagined different scenarios: tripping over her shoelaces, getting caught by Filch, or shagging atop of the staircase with the Fat Lady watching. They were all terrible circumstances, and in a way, it made Lily appreciate her true scenario.

The real ending to last night made sure that no one saw she and James kiss. No one witnessed it, except maybe Hestia Jones. The fifth year didn't seem like the type to spread around insubstantial rumors, or Lily hoped. If she were wrong, many things would happen as a result. Camilla Henley would be constantly after her, more so than she already is. The Marauders would never let her live it down. And, the word hypocrite may or may not be targeted at her during class transitions.

Lily let out an irritated groan as she sat up from her bed. She hated herself for pondering this scene repeatedly. The repeat kicked her ego in the gut. As she stared at the dorm window and watched the students meander about the bridges and courtyards of the castle, she decided that she needed a break from this bloody red room.

Lily slipped on a pair of flannel pajamas and white socks before heading out of the room. Most of the Gryffindors were out of their common room and dorms doing homework or meandering in Hogsmeade. She thought she was alone as she turned the radio on. She was met with static, particularly low static. It took her a moment to notice that Remus Lupin was clearing his throat, sitting in the adjacent arm chair.

"Fuckin' Hell," she gasped. She stopped herself from clutching her chest like a pansy and collected herself. "You scared me, Remus."

"My apologies," he said earnestly. He also sat in his pajamas with a steaming mug of tea. It made the room smell of burnt wood and lavender. She wondered if it was medication, because Remus looked like shite with those dark circles under his eyes and his dry skin. "I was hoping to have a quiet morning." He jerked his head in the direction of the radio.

"Sure, sure," Lily said quickly as she turned off the contraption. She felt rather uncomfortable now, as if she did not belong. She thought of returning upstairs but Remus banished that thought as he asked, "Are you going to sit?"

"Oh," Lily said simply. "Yeah, I will." As she made way for the other side of the couch, she asked, "What kind of tea are you drinking?"

Remus looked down at his cup and said, "My mother's herbal tea from her garden. She sends it in a care package."

Lily smiled, a genuine one. It felt good because she hadn't done it all day. "That's nice of her."

"She's the kindest person I know," he said with a solemn nod. "She knows when I need it, somehow."

"Mothers always do," she agreed. After a brief pause, she added, "Do you want to talk about it?"

"Do you want to talk about why James came skipping in the dorm after your detention?"

Lily paused. "He didn't…"

Remus took a long sip of his tea and said, "If you were wondering if he actually said anything to us, he didn't."

"Thank Merlin."

"You don't need to be a genius to guess what theme occurred during that detention though," he clarified. "Just two eyes and decent vision."

Lily looked down at her hands and said, "Nothing happened." She noted Remus' go expressionless. "Nothing important."

"Good luck telling James that," he scoffed.

Lily made a face and asked, "What do you think happened, aye, Remus?"

Remus looked up for a moment as if ¿ for the thought. "Either you shagged, snogged, or… well, no, that's unlike either of you."

"What is unlike us?" she demanded.

"Confessing your all-too-real unrequited mutual love for another," Remus said as if it were perfectly obvious. "But, that would be too easy for you two, now wouldn't it?"

"Does that tea have sass steamed in as well?" Lily retorted hotly.

Remus flushed a bit, but chuckled, "Sorry. I'm rather moody in the mornings."

Lily let out a simple "uh-huh." She crossed her arms and made a face. No words had even been spoken, and yet, other people had strong inclinations about the event that had occurred last night. She felt like banging her head against a wall. "I hate him," she grumbled.

"Nah, you don't."

"Yes, I do," Lily said adamantly.

"Whatever helps you sleep at night, Lily."

"I don't need this from you," she said, standing up. She glared at Remus and added, "You and I are no different. I mean, look at you and Dorcas."

"Okay, now that's unfair," countered Remus. "And an entirely different issue."

"Is it _that_ different?"

"Yeah, it is," he countered. Something was tensing up inside of him, Lily could see that much. He held his cup so tightly that it looked like it would break. "I haven't dragged her along on an emotional leash for months. Can you say the same?" he finished hotly.

Lily blinked once before raising her eyebrows up at her fellow prefect.

Remus picked up on his own vocal change too. And the moment he did, Lily could see it in his eyes. A dark part of himself retreated back into its cage, like a ferel beast. He stood up and said, "I am sorry about that. I need some rest. I think I have a cold coming on."

"It's all right," Lily said slowly, watching as Remus left. Yes, he was abnormally terse with his statements (something she assumed had to do with the lunar cycle), but he wasn't _entirely_ wrong either.

* * *

James felt all wrong. All day he felt all wrong. Last night, he was on cloud nine and today, he had a cloud looming over his parade. He wanted to see Lily at breakfast, hoping that things could be peaceful between them. But instead he was met with a silent Camilla. She refused to look at him too, which was a partial relief. However, his search for Lily had gone unaccomplished. Perhaps she was hiding from him.

He hoped relieving the stress by creating some well-deserved mischief with his mates, but instead, they were all busy. Sirius had a meeting with Alphard; Remus was sick in bed with PMS; and Peter had a date with fourth-year Amara Tanner.

So, James compelled himself to do one thing that _always_ felt right. No girls, no drama, no nothing. Just Quidditch.

Madam Hooch had re-scheduled the Slytherin v. Ravenclaw game for this afternoon. Even though James was not playing, he still enjoyed the sport. It always made him feel better.

He sat in the Non-Participatory section alone with a handful of other students. He sat with a cup of cider and watched the fliers zoom throughout the sky. He specifically kept an eye on the Chasers and contemplated stealing a move or two from Lovegood, which was something he'd never admit aloud. Also, he watched Dorcas carefully. He wondered how she concentrated so well with voices inside of her head? Did she still have voices in her head? James wanted to ask Remus about that, but he thought better of it. Dorcas was a touchy subject, and he was not about to get on Remus' bad side. Not with the full moon rising tomorrow.

James looked to the sky as Lucinda Talkalot made 10 points. He hated to admit that she was a decent flier. "God, I hate her," he grumbled to himself. Or so, he thought.

"So do I," Mary MacDonald agreed.

James nearly jumped at the sight of the small girl, bundled up tightly in her winter parka and scarf. He could barely see her face, but could see her uncharacteristically intense glare. "What'd Talkalot do to you?" He asked.

Mary wanted to say something, but nothing important came out. "Oh, you know. Girl stuff," she lied. She rolled her eyes at herself.

James gave her a careful look. He was never close with the Hufflepuff girl; he encountered her in passing more than anything. And in their encounters, he always found Mary that only used pleasant words. _Hate_ was like a curse word for her. "Girl stuff, aye?"

Mary sighed, "It's not my business to tell. But, let's just say that I think she's a tart."

He let out a low whistle. Truthfully, if it had been anyone else he would press them for further information. But, coaxing Mary MacDonald into do anything seemed like an unforgivable sin. "Fair enough," he said, turning back to the game. "Remind me not to get on your bad side, aye, MacDonald?"

Mary let out a charming giggle before adding, "My patronus is a panther."

James paused. He turned his head to her slowly and said, "You can produce a patronus? A panther patronus?"

Mary nodded, but was re-focused on the game. He found himself rather shocked. In Defense practical lessons, she never seemed rather spectacular at the class. He gave her a once-over and asked her long she had been able to produce one. "Oh, for a few months now. Lily, Marlene, Em, and I practiced it together. People say it takes years, so we started in the beginning of summer."

James raised an eyebrow. "Planning to go to Azkaban in the near future?"

Mary looked at him, tilting her head to see him over her glasses. "You do realize there's a war happening correct?"

"The dementors work for the government."

"And if you think that those things can't be swayed by dark energy, you must be mental," She finished simply. "I'm a black muggle-born witch, Potter. I'm not taking any chances."

James gave her a solemn nod. "I respect that." His respect for her shot up too.

They remained silent for moment. He watched intensely, mentally capturing movements to bring back to his team. But, his mind travelled back to the thought of Mary and her friends' being able to produce Patronuses. If Mary's was a patronus, what were the rest of the girls'. He asked.

"Well, Emmeline's is a tortoise."

James guffawed.

"Marlene's is a mockingbird."

James wondered why he didn't already know that, but still was not surprised.

"And Lily's is a fawn."

Now, James was sure that he was choking. But, there was nothing to choke on except oxygen. Mary even patted his back like a burping baby. "You're joking?" He tried for nonchalance, but it seemed more like he had a stroke.

"No, baby deer," laughed Mary. "I didn't expect you to find that _so_ amusing. I would never picture her as something so gentle."

James sat a little straighter. He shook his head, trying to rid himself of thoughts of what that could possibly mean. "Yes, very gentle," he agreed absently. He said nothing more for the rest of the game.

* * *

"He's playing me " Camilla said, as if it were a shocking revelation. She sat on Dirk's dorm bed with her arms crossed, looking like a petulant child. He was sitting at the edge of the bed with Hestia. He desperately wanted to put an arm around Camilla's shoulder to console her. But, he thought better of it.

"I didn't say that," Hestia said quickly, putting her hands up on the defensive.

"You might as well have," scoffed Camilla. She flipped her hair back and looked up the bed's canopy aimlessly. She was blinking, trying not to let tears fall.

"They may have been talking," Hestia offered. "Very intensely."

Dirk gave her an "are-you-kidding?" kind of look, but did not speak. He looked back to Camilla instead. He had never seen her like this before: quiet and vulnerable. He'd seen a wide range of emotions from her - angry, denial, joy, jealous - each one he cherished. However, he never thought that James Potter truly had the power to do this to her. No matter how much she had said she fancied him in the past two years.

And, the sod didn't deserve to elicit this kind of emotion for her.

"I liked him for so long," she explained, trying not to choke up. "Maybe I got blinded by everything. And Evans! She lied to me, promised me nothing was there too! I should've never listened to her."

"I'm sorry, Camilla," Hestia said earnestly, resting a hand on top of hers.

"It's not your fault," the darker-haired one insisted. She even gave Hestia a smile. "Thanks for telling me."

"Of course."

Camilla looked to Dirk then and rested a hand over his too. She was warm and soft. "You too. Thanks for being here."

Dirk thought of just agreeing like Hesita had, but right now, Camilla needed more than a simple "you're welcome." She deserved more than that, than James Potter, than school boys. Dirk was one of the few people to know that underneath all of Camilla's erratic emotions was pure passion, pure desire to be loved and love. "He was just never ready for someone like you, Cam."

Camilla smiled as a tear tricked down her face. She wiped it away, blushing down at her hand. She became even warmer.

* * *

 _A/N - I Wish I had got this up earlier this weekend, but I couldn't. I'm trying to get back on a normal schedule! I hope every enjoyed this chapter - and I know that many of the reviewers must be happy for some of Dirk's thoughts towards the end. Again, if you want, please review, favorite, or follow! It means a lot to me!_

 _Rose_


	25. Chapter 25

**March 3** **rd** **, 1977**

Charms ran late on Wednesday, and the sixth year NEWT students were visibly displeased. Professor Flitwick insisted on reviewing the detailed criterion for an upcoming examination in nonverbal spell use; he reviewed each section on the paper he had already given out. Redundancy was Flitwick's preferred method of teaching.

Dorcas Meadowes sat calmly amongst the jittery students. Less time in the halls meant less time hearing even _more_ voices. She preferred smaller groups of human interactions, less energy to focus on pushing her wall up.

Although all of the NEWTs were fidgeting, there was one in particular that stood out to Dorcas. She acknowledged that she was already trying _not_ to focus on him, but truthfully, it was hard to keep her eyes off of Remus Lupin. In the past couple of days, she noticed Remus' irritability and his red eyes. The full moon was two nights away. Right now, waiting looked like he was being electrocuted.

Once Flitwick dismissed the students, Dorcas tried not to stare as Remus dashed out of the classroom. He was the first one, and it looked like he was about to hurl with his pale face and clutched stomach. And from the looks of his muddled mind, he was going to do so very soon. A small part of her wanted to offer support, but it was _small._

Dorcas gathered her books, in no rush to enter the Hogwarts' halls. She patted them against her desk and was the last one out, or so she thought. A dark figured appeared above her. Without even looking at him, Dorcas knew this bold intrusive mind. "Can I help you, Potter?" she asked without looking up, shoving her books into her bag.

"Wait, you don't know what I'm thinking right now?" James asked, genuinely curious.

Dorcas closed her eyes. She looked up at him after a minute and said, "If you really want me to, yes, I can, but I prefer if you used your big boy words and talk to me like the adult you are about to be in a few weeks." She added a short mock smile at the end.

James' eyes widened. "How do you know that my birthday's in a few weeks?"

"It's something that you think about often _and_ loudly," She revealed, now a tad bit ashamed for knowing that.

James gave her a look, as if he did not know the intensity of his own thoughts. "What else do I think about that frequently?"

Dorcas groaned, "No, we aren't doing this-"

"It's my brain, Meadowes."

She wiped a hand over her face and spoke rapidly, "Your snog session with Lily is always lingering now, but other than that, I can't hear much else. Your natural skill for occulmens isn't so bad, which probably comes with the fact that you are a good liar. But, can we please move on now?"

James opened his mouth, because he had a lot of questions but decided not to further enrage the Slytherin ligilmens. She knew too much and could ruin social lives (which really wasn't her style, but James utilized constant vigilance). Instead, he said, "You've got to cut Remus some slack."

Dorcas jerked back as if he had slapped her in the face with a _frunuculus_ spell. She sucked her teeth and said, "Never mind. We can resume our conversation about Evans anytime you'd like." She stood up quickly and headed for the door.

"It's been two weeks now," James tried again, following her out into the Hallway. "He's not very good with people being mad at him. He's a sensitive wolf, aye?"

Dorcas ignored him, but knew this to be true. Although Remus was one of the more proficient occulmens, she could still read him in different ways. He'd sneak peeks at her in class and occasionally would apologize mentally. With the full moon approaching, he looked less at her and more at students, imagining them ripping limb from limb.

"I know that," Dorcas replied firmly, still walking ahead.

"Then give him a chance to make it up to you," James insisted, catching up to her. He bent down to ear-level. "He's going through a tough time," he added in a whisper.

 _Like I don't know,_ Dorcas almost said. She turned to James and gave him a final glare. He was still bent down, so they were eye-to-eye (or glasses-to-eye). She narrowed her ice blue eyes into his warm hazel ones. "James," she said, causing him to gulp at the use of his first name, "don't make me enter your mind and show you the really dark and annoying shite I'm dealing with right now." He was never really into threats, but that actually sounded rather nauseating. "I want to forgive, Remus, but I don't have time or patience when my mind is literally everywhere else, " Dorcas finished.

James couldn't possibly understand what she was going through - he knew that. But he had to try. "Then let him make it easier for you," he offered quietly.

Dorcas let out a sigh. She looked as though she had run a marathon. "Maybe later, Potter," she said in a tone that meant she was done talking. The dark-haired girl walked away, leaving James Potter in the middle of the hallway.

Why did birds have the tendency to leave him, just like that? It was ruddy annoying, and he desperately hoped it wasn't due to his odor. Quidditch made him paranoid.

James trudged down the stairs alone. Sirius and Peter had gone to take care of Remus since James had to go finish _two_ Muggle Studies Assignment before class later that day. They would rotate when work was heavy, so that they all wouldn't fail. Sometimes, like today, the three non-lycanthropes would pitch in to finish his homework for him. So, James walked to the library with the intention of finding a quiet corner desk and finishing off all his and Remus' homework so he could focus on the upcoming Quidditch match against Hufflepuff next weekend.

He gave a charming smile to Madam Pince, whom rolled her eyes in return. James did his best not to chuckle, which sounded like a nice hum. His would-be chuckle quickly turned a full-on cough with the sight right before him.

Lily Evans was standing right before him, waving to him. In broad daylight. Or, cloud-light because Scotland springs were made of gloom. She had a couple of books in hand and gave him a tender smile, like she actually didn't hate seeing him.

James waved back, like an idiot.

She approached him, looking a bit unsure of her steps. Was Lily Evans blushing? James pinched himself to make sure he wasn't dreaming.

"Hi," she said. She spoke in a voice that made James realize that she was hiding something.

James checked his corners with a hand on his chest. He looked back to an irritable Lily and asked, "Oh, oh, you're speaking to me?" He regretted it immediately - it was too easy to become a prat in front of her.

"Yes, yes, I am," she said awkwardly. "And I deserve that."

James let out a whistle. "Call the Prophet! Call the Prophet!" he shouted, not caring that Madam Pince aimed a piece of chalk at his head. He dodged rather artfully, which annoyed the librarian even more. He gave a slight bow to his Professor as an indifferent apology.

"Do you want to hear what I have to say or not?" Lily insisted, dragging him by the sleeve back out of the library. "Merlin, you're annoying."

"Is that why you kissed me?" He asked, smiling.

Lily ignored him and only stopped dragging him once they reached a secluded corner. James' ego hoped for another snog, but she kept her distance from him. A full arm's length. "We have to talk about that."

"Or we could do it again?" James got punched in the arm.

"Focus!"

"Okay, okay," He said, rubbing his bicep tenderly. "I'm listening. Actually listening."

"Good," Lily said with a huff. There was a pause before she revealed, "It wasn't so bad."

James wanted to smack himself in the face now, wondering again if he were in a dream. "I'm sorry, Pardon?"

"I enjoyed it," she said as if it were obvious.

James scratched his head. "So, we can do it again?" he tried again, trying to figure the ginger out.

"No," she said simply. "Definitely not."

"Okay, I'm officially lost."

"James, you're with Henley," she said, exasperated. "And she really fancies you."

James immediately felt a pang strike his chest. There it was, the ultimate cockblock: guilt. It was not an emotion he particularly enjoyed, and rarely felt it. But right now, yes, he did finally feel it. He had been trying to ignore that emotional bit since he had snogged Lily on the staircase, but now that _she_ was the one clarifying it, his feelings were hard to ignore.

"I promised Henley that I wouldn't interfere with you two, that there was nothing between us."

Her voice had softened, and James could see right through those clear emerald green eyes. He could see the damage from the literal war raging on in her brain, because Lily Evans always had to do the _right_ thing. It may as well have been in her DNA.

"Is there something between us?" James asked, unable to help himself at this point. He needed clarity. "Is there something for me to be guilty about?"

Lily tugged on her lower lip with her teeth and let it plop. It was her nervous tick that had always made James want to kiss her, ever since he had noticed it in their third year.

It was harder to contain now since he already know what her lips tasted like, and James dying to try to taste them again. But, he had to wait patiently for an answer. They were so close.

"No," Lily said. "There isn't."

"You're the one who kissed me," he reminded her immediately, failing to push his aggression aside. "Just in case we've forgotten."

Lily groaned, lolling her head back. He enjoyed the sight of the creamy columns of her neck.

 _Focus, Potter._

"Why do you have to make this more difficult?" She insisted, snapping her head back to face him. "You and I both know we're attracted to each other. Yes, I admit it. But, that doesn't mean anything."

"Ow, my ego. Go fetch Poppy for me?"

"Can you be serious for once in your life?!"

James smirked. "I don't think _Sirius_ is the reason why you kissed me."

Lily tugged at the roots of her hair. "You're such a prat! It's like talking to a Shrunken Head."

"Oh, Evans, you're making this too easy."

Lily did her very best not to punch him again. Instead, she took a deep breath and counted to three. This calm tactic was new to James, and he watched with care as her chest heaved. He was practically watering at the mouth. His lips dried once he saw her now stone cold face.

"This is what I'm talking about, James."

"I think this is rather fun."

"Our attraction to each other is rather limited, mainly to bickering sessions that lead into… well, _this._ We never talk about what's important."

James felt that it was his cue to step closer to her and followed that instinct. However, her instinct was to step away. Lily give him a firm look and said, "It's not happening again. All of this makes me feel incredibly bad. And I already felt bad before, and you know that."

He didn't want to admit remembering that bit of their conversation, back in the Shrieking Shack. It had felt like a lifetime ago.

"So, I'm asking you, James, to do the best thing for both of us. Please don't let us get carried away again."

James said nothing, just looked at her. The impulsive desire to kiss decreased, and instead felt a need to hold her. He wanted to say that she was wrong, that denying each other would be the complete opposite of good for them. But, that look on her face was desperate; he never thought he'd describe her as desperate.

"You're right," he muttered.

Lily's eyes widened. "I am?"

"Yes, you are. About all of it."

"O-oh, why the sudden change?"

James gave her a look, as if she were yearning to be hexed into next week. It was his only explanation he would provide.

Lily raised her eyebrows, suspicious of what rattled around in James' mind. However, she knew that she mustn't doubt it because if she did, they'd start all over again about their attraction and whatnot. So, she simply stated the facts, one more time, for good measure: "We are attracted to one another, but we aren't interested in dating each other. We are simply… _mates,_ correct?"

"Correct, Professor," James said dryly. "Am I excused from lecture now?"

Just when she thought they had made progress, of course he had begun to regress. "James, please," she demanded in a soft yet stern voice. "It's about damn time we settled this."

James scoffed, "Evans, it's finished. As you want it. I won't go chasing after you. I really won't, because well, this constant game of tag really isn't doing it for me anymore."

Lily felt as if she had been struck in the face. Her jaw fell slack as she watched him brush past her. She wanted to call out to him, demanding his amicability. But, then a lightbulb went on in her head: she was in position to make anymore demands. She had gotten what she wanted.

Or, so she thought.

* * *

"Oy, Mary! Mary! Oh, C'mon, lighten up, MacDonald!" shouted Robert Vance with his tawny brown hair flowing in the air.

"I'm in no mood to talk with you, Vance," she glared through her glasses as they entered the Hufflepuff common room. When he tried to reach out to grab her, Mary gave him a deadly glare. It was hard to elicit such a dark expression from the kind witch, so Robert knew immediately not to touch her. "Good choice," she added.

"Just one minute," he begged, a sound that Mary had never heard before in her six years of knowing the boy.

"Fifty-nine, fifty-eight, fifty-seven…" Mary began.

Robert made a face. "You've been hanging out with McKinnon too much."

"Fifty-five," she continued.

"You know I love Emmeline," he said quickly.

"Fifty-four…" her voice softening.

"I really do, Mary. Yes, she's a bloody handful but I guess that's what I like about her."

"But?" She suggested for him, knowing that there was always a 'but' in times like these.

Vance took a deep a breath and gave Mary a look that reminded her of a beaten puppy. "My parents have intentions for me that don't allow me to be in a relationship with her."

Mary looked taken back. It was a loaded statement, but he still managed to remain vague. So, it was only natural for Mary's mind to go the worst possible option. "Your parents are death eaters?" She asked, tilting to see him past her glasses.

"Merlin, no!" Vance shouted, too loudly. A few students turned their head at the pair that just entered. He let out a hardy cough, beating his chest. "They are not Death Eaters, nor are they blood supremacists. But they are scared."

Mary wanted to roll her eyes, but held back the sensation. Robert Vance came from a decent wizarding family with one parent in the Ministry and another as a Qudditch Announcer. It wasn't like he was a muggle-born with an unsuspecting family. Every time that Mary tried to explain the War to her folks, they'd almost laugh it off. _"Magic Wars,"_ they'd say, " _that sounds like the making of a good epic."_ Vance had no idea what it really meant to be scared.

When Vance realized that he was gaining no sympathy from his housemate, he added, "My last name may be Vance, but my mother's maiden name is Malfoy."

Mary's eyes widened. Okay, now that was a new bit of information. Emmeline had never mentioned that, but Mary couldn't blame her. He probably wanted to keep it a secret. "You're a Malfoy?" She asked quietly.

"According to my blood records, yes, I am in fact a Malfoy," he said sadly. "Which makes my mother a…"

"Blood traitor," Mary finished. Now, she could understand the fear. For some pure-bloods, blood traitors were worse than muggle-borns. "Oh…"

"And her family has been threatening us by refusing to give us my mother's inheritance. They even came into our house this summer while we were gone on vacation. They stole some of her jewelry and killed our cat."

Mary gasped, clutching her hand over her mouth. "Robert, I'm so sorry. That's awful."

Vance nodded. "It's not your fault, but it has scared the shite out of my mother. She wonders when they're going to do something next all the time." He rubbed his forehead and said, "My mum wants to appease them somehow."

"Somehow?" Mary repeated.

Robert looked around and saw that there were too many witnesses present. He motioned for Mary to follow him so that they could sit on the empty bean bag chairs in a secluded corner. Once he plopped down, he took a long breath. "They want me to marry back into a pure blood family, or semi-pure blood. You know, a well known family."

"And that would be the Talkalot family?" Mary asked, trying to keep her cool.

Vance nodded without looking at her. Just by the way he was staring at his hands, Mary could tell that this was just as much of a painful surprise to him as it was to her… and Emmeline.

"Have you told Em?" She asked after a long moment.

"No, not yet," Vance said, shaking his head. "What am I supposed to say? _Oh, hey, Em. I love you, but my parents want me to get married to a bird that you despise with all of your heart? Bet you couldn't see that one could ya?_ "

"Don't add that last part," Mary suggested.

"Right," Vance nodded.

"How long have you known?" She wasn't quite sure what else to add, because that was quite the story to tell.

"Since winter break."

"Wow," Mary said without amazement. "You had two months to tell her, and now she thinks that you're falling out of love with her."

Vance sighed, "I know."

Mary rolled her eyes and stood up. "You have to tell her, Robert. Seriously. Otherwise, you're letting her just slip away."

He held his face in his hands and muttered, "I know, I know." He looked up at Mary and said, "She won't let me though. Every chance I get, she pushes me away. Harder each time."

"Try _harder_."

"Help me try harder."

She paused. "I beg your pardon?"

Robert stood up, towering over the small witch. Instead of feeling threatened, Mary felt as though a giant needed consoling. It was quite cute, yet terribly sad. "She won't let me get within twenty feet of her, let alone talk to her. And now, I have Talkalot chasing me like a new-found puppy."

Mary closed her eyes. She didn't want to be involved with this. Too much drama for the Hufflepuff. She rubbed the bridge of her nose and said, "I'll talk to her."

Robert immediately wrapped his arms around Mary and squeezed. "Thank you, thank you, thank you, Mary!"

"But you have to put in some effort too, okay?" She insisted, poking him in the chest once he released her. "I mean it. Em is stubborn in her visions, and she really thought you fucked up. So, you'll have to be patient… and determined."

"I am."

Mary believed him too. "What're you going to do about your parents?"

Robert exhaled. "It's not fair they got to marry for love, and I have to reap their regrets. So, they'll just have to deal with that."

Mary nodded, appreciating the integrity. "Fair enough." She reached out her hand, which Vance replied with a solid shake.

* * *

Marlene shook her head in disbelief when she entered into the empty practice room. It was where the Frog Choir met for extra rehearsals. It was also where she chose to get some extra vocal lessons in. She preferred privacy during those sessions, but today, it seemed like she was out of luck.

A dark figure sat in front of the piano with his back facing the entrance. The person was playing 'At Last' by Etta James and humming the tune. He had good tone and played smoothly, like he had been practicing the piano for years.

Marlene took a few quiet steps in, not wanting to disturb the musician's beautiful playing. However, he must've noticed her presence and asked a question, "You know this song?"

Marlene's breath hitched when she found that the voice belonged to Sirius Black. She didn't know he could play the piano. He looked behind his shoulder, still brushing the keys lightly, and gave her a smirk. "Wanna join me?" He patted the bench.

Sirius reeked of skepticism, or maybe that was his natural odor. Marlene bit the inside of her cheek as she sat beside him. She chose silence as he continued to play the classic. Was this part of his trick to get her to fall for him? Using music?

Marlene hated to admit that it could work.

"Sing for me, McKinnon," Sirius offered. He played louder now, looking to her brightly.

"You'd be ever so blessed to get a private show from me," she said simply.

He shrugged. "Anyone would be. Maybe just a hum then."

She watched his fingers glide over the keys. She waited for the chorus and at this point, Marlene couldn't help herself. She started to sing, more quietly than she usually did. A pool of nervousness churned in her stomach, because she had never sang for just _one_ person before. Only her vocal teacher. This was intimate, but peaceful. Singing was always a performance to her, now it was nothing but natural.

Once the chorus was over, Sirius played a quiet ending. He watched her lips hum the end. He smiled, "You have the most beautiful lips, McKinnon."

Marlene snorted. "Oh, please. They're two thin lines."

"Long and beautiful lines," he agreed. "Just like the rest of you."

Marlene hated it, but she felt the pool rise to her throat and face. She must be getting red. "Good try, Black," she stated.

Sirius smirked as he leaned his hands back against the edge of the bench. "I do what I can," he explained. "But it's easy with you around. Always has been."

Marlene was about to question what that meant, but when she turned around to face him, he was simply centimeters away. He was so close to her and for just a moment, she considered letting him get closer.

But, Marlene's pride stepped in. Perhaps it was a McKinnon trait to never let anyone get the better of her.

Marlene stood up and pushed the bench back. "Not likely, Black," she said, stepping away.

"You can't run away from me forever, McKinnon," he called after her. "We live in the same ruddy tower."

Marlene turned her back on him, fuming that she let him so close. "Oh, watch me," she insisted as she exited the room.

* * *

Dorcas gulped as she stared at the door into Max McKinnon's office. It was nine-thirty-two, and she had just been standing there for precisely two minutes. This was going to be one of the most awkward moments in her entire life, and she didn't know if she could handle this in her life right now.

Why would Dumbledore do something like this to her? It just wasn't fair. There just had to be a reason.

"You can come in," Max McKinnon called from inside the room.

Dorcas closed her eyes, trying to hold herself back from letting out a litany of curses. She put her shaky hand to the door and pushed.

It had been now two months since she had last seen the eldest McKinnon. He was painfully attractive and only twenty-three years old, only six years older than her age (she was legal). That was why it was okay back on New Year's, or so they told themselves. He was currently fixing them both a cup of tea.

Dorcas clenched her teeth and said, "Professor," with a nod. That felt terribly awkward.

Max scoffed. He looked back at her and said, "Don't call me that."

She raised an eyebrow. "Am I supposed to call you Max?"

Max brought the cups of tea to a small round table in the center of the room. He said, "Yes, that would be best." He motioned for her to sit in the chair opposite of him.

Dorcas hesitated before doing so. Like the perfect gentleman she had met on December 31st, he waited for her to sit first. He sat and blew on his tea before asking, "Do you know why Dumbledore chose me as your occulmency tutor?"

"To prove that he has a sense of humor," she offered dryly.

Max smiled, a stupidly kind smile. "He chose me because he knew that we had… _met_ before."

Dorcas wanted to slam her into the table repeatedly. She let out a groan and murmured, "Smashing."

"I know it may seem like an intentional low blow, but the fact that you and I have met before is important to this."

"Why?"

Dorcas sipped on his tea before saying, "You don't want me in your mind, am I right, Dorcas?"

"No one wants anyone in their mind."

"But, I am a special case, am I not?"

Dorcas thought about this for a moment. He was right, but why did it matter? "So what? I snogged you, and I don't want you in my thoughts. I think that's reasonable."

"Precisely," he said in a cheerful tone, as if she made a specific discovery. "You don't want _me_ to know the specific details of your life. It'll make you work harder at occulmency. You'll try harder to keep me out of your head."

Dorcas looked down at her tea and watched the steam rise. Without looking back up at him, she asked, "Are you already in there?"

Max paused. "Yes."

Dorcas looked up and said, "You don't want to be in there. It's not pretty."

"Then, get me out, Meadowes. Because I am a walk in the park in comparison to Lord Voldemort. He will make you relive your worst memories, and I have a feeling that you have quite the selection for him to choose from."

Dorcas let out loud exhale, but said nothing. What was there to say?

Max sighed, "Do you want me to know about your mother? About the terrible things she did? Or, about how your father did the bare minimum to protect you from her torture? Or, about how your brothers and sisters isolated you during your ten years living at home. Or, about Remus Lupin-"

"Stop," Dorcas said shortly with a dark look in her eye. She was now glaring at him. She didn't care if he was Marlene's older brother, a professor, or a talented kisser. She wanted to punch him now. "I see your point, Max. Now, can you start giving me some tactics before I get expelled for cursing you."

Dorcas expected Max to deduct points or provide detention. But, instead he just smiled. "Now, we're talking."

* * *

 _A/N - I am so sorry for the delayed update. I was going through a serious writer's block and couldn't write at all. Some things have shifted in my life that I needed to take care of. I hope that you enjoyed this chapter, and I hope to be on more of a routine with updates!_

 _Thank you to everyone who reviews, follows, and favorite. If you enjoy this story, please do so. It means the world to me_

 _XOXO_

 _Rose_


	26. Chapter 26

**March 5** **th** **, 1977**

"I want fireworks."

"He hates loud noises, especially during his monthly gift."

"Oh, but it'll be festive."

We have to do this for, Remus, not for you, Sirius."

James and Sirius sat in the corner of Common Room. It was late Saturday afternoon and also Remus' day of birth. Although, they have not seen the birthday boy all day, they had to prepare for his big night. It so happened that Remus' birthday also landed on the same day as his full moon. This has yet to happen since they turned Animagi.

"Everyone is happier when Sirius is happy," Sirius explained simply. "Am I wrong?"

James shook his head. He ignored his friend's comment as the opened their own map of the Forbidden Forest. The Marauder's Map did not cover the illicit grounds yet, but they were working on it. Each full moon they continued to explore the area and mapped their way through. Soon enough, and hopefully before graduation, there would be no part unexplored.

Peter skittered into the Common Room, causing the two boys to regard him with wide-eyes. The smallest friend looked as if he had just ran a marathon - not that he would run for anything besides food. He bent over and said, "Poppy took him."

"What? Already?" James asked, mind blown. "It's not even supper time yet."

Peter let out a long exhale, bending backwards to stretch his body. "Yeah, well, he looked like shite. He looked more like the Loch Ness Monster than a werewolf."

The Marauders looked up to the sky. The moon wasn't up yet, but night was coming. The gray sky was turning a pale orange, hidden behind the clouds.

"I hope it's not too bad," worried Peter. "It would suck if he couldn't play on his birthday."

Sirius nodded in agreement. "Because otherwise he's a ruddy murder. He doesn't need that on his birthday."

"He's already feeling like shite emotionally because of Meadowes," added James. "Wonder when she'll forgive him."

"Or if." Sirius shrugged as his two friends glared at him. "I'm just making observations - the girl is as tough as nails. I don't expect her to take grudges lightly."

James wanted to refute this, for the sake of Remus, but maybe Sirius had a point. The Slytherin Beater was not a simple person, and as she said, she has a lot of dark shit going on in her life. It would be downright awful if she never forgave him. Especially for someone like Remus.

"Oy, your three o'clock, Mate," Sirius said, snapping James out of his thoughts.

He looked up to see Camilla Henley coming down the stairs slowly. Truthfully, James had been avoiding two birds in the past two days: Lily Evans and her. James couldn't bear the guilt, so he ignored it like the black plague. But what do you do when it's right in your face?

"Hi Pettigrew, Hi Black," Camilla said in a soft yet kind voice. The two boys gave her a nod of acknowledgement. She turned to face James with bright brown eyes. She asked, "Can I speak with you a moment? Do you mind?"

"Er, sure," James said in his best non-awkward voice. It was a failed attempt. He stood up and followed Camilla into another corner. When he noticed his friends staring like they were at a Quidditch match, he gave them a stern 'fuck-you' look. Peter snapped his head away, and Sirius let out a scoff before turning back to the map.

"So, what'd you want to talk about?" James asked hastily.

Camilla tucked a piece of hair behind her ear. "I was hoping that you and I could have a night tonight. Just you and me. It's been a while, hasn't it?"

"I can't," he said too fast. He noticed Camilla's clear disapproval so he added, "Tonight is Remus' birthday. I have to celebrate with him. You know, stag night." He did his best not to boast his own joke.

"Oh," she said shortly. "That makes sense."

"Yeah, but maybe tomorrow or something? I'll let you know," James offered, trying to do his best at chivalry.

Camilla nodded but said nothing. She pressed her lips into a tight line before saying, "I understand. Tell Lupin I wish him a happy birthday, okay?"

James felt a tension between them, something he had yet to feel. Sometimes there was sexual tension, definitely that. But this was something else. This was distance. It was like a breaking rope becoming a small thread.

"I will," James nodded.

Camilla walked away without another word. She didn't look back at him as she exited the Common Room, not saying where she was going either. She didn't acknowledge Sirius or Peter either - she was too forgone. She wanted nothing to do with the Marauders, not a single one. However, she wasn't filled with rage like she had expected to be. She was focused on Dirk Cresswell's words: James Potter just wasn't ready for her.

Mary MacDonald believed that maybe Emmeline Kim was not ready for this conversation. She was still mourning the loss of a relationship, and more specifically, she was in the angry phase. Em wanted not a thing to do with any words that started with Robert or ended with Vance.

They walked together up the staircase. Emmeline held her books tightly in her hands and was absolutely silent. As they walked up to the seventh floor bathroom, they had encountered Robert Vance. He was simply reading a letter as he made eye contact with his former girlfriend. He tried to wave, but simply got a hair flip instead.

"Are you okay, Em?" Mary asked even though she knew the answer. She wasn't even sure why she had asked it.

"No, I am not," Emmeline said firmly, marching up the stairs. At least she was honest.

"Maybe you ought to give him a chance." The smaller witch hoped she hadn't said anything too revealing. She really didn't want to put words in someone else's mouth

Emmeline stopped on the stairs and gave her friend an appalled look, as if Mary had suggested running around the castle in the nude. "Mary!"

"All I am saying is that maybe he is actually sorry." Mary put her hands up for extra defense.

"I saw him being straddled like a goddamn horse by Talkalot," Emmeline hissed. "What else is there to talk about?"

Mary stammered on meaningless words. There was no coherency because she wasn't even sure what to say. Her fumble sparked a new interest in her friend though.

Emmeline narrowed her eyes at her best mate. "You spoke to him, didn't you?"

The curly-haired witch pursed her lips. "I _may_ have," she said slowly, trying to lessen the blow.

Emmeline made a drawn-out noise. "Mary, how could you!"

"Vance has been badgering me, all right? Following me around like a lost puppy because all he wants to talk about is you. Now, we've never been the chummiest of housemates, so don't you think that means something."

Emmeline, for once, decided not to speak.

"He really wants to talk to you, Em," Mary said with a soft smile. "He wants to explain his behavior, and it may not be right. But shouldn't you give him a chance, after a year-and-half worth of dating and snogging."

As if she were on a LSD trip, Emmeline's mind scattered. As if she were flipping through a photo album, Emmeline's mind showered her with past memories of Robert and herself: the time they first kissed after last year's Halloween dinner, their study dates in the Astronomy Tower, and when he asked her to be his girlfriend in the Common Room. Her trip down memory lane made a compelling argument.

"Was there anything else he said?" Emmeline asked quietly. She still did not want to admit defeat.

Mary searched for the words mentally but in the end said, "He should explain it all. It would be weird coming from me, but I promise to be by your side no matter how you take what he says."

Mary's vague reply gave Emmeline two emotional responses. She wanted to further interrogate her friend, but also wanted to hug her. In the end, she chose the latter before they walked into the Seventh Floor Girl's Bathroom.

The air was steamy, and the light was dim inside their self-designated bathroom. The tub in the center was filled with light purple water and smelled of lavender. Lily Evans had her back leaning against the edge and looked perfectly calm. Marlene McKinnon was in the middle of tub, swimming her way through mountains of bubbles. Dorcas Meadowes sat on the edge, with just her feet touching the surface. The girls looked perfectly calm.

But, that was only for a moment until Marlene looked back at Lily and Dorcas and shouted, "Yeah, played the bloody piano for me like it was the Moulin Rouge."

Emmeline raised an eyebrow. She thought she was upset. "Who tried to court you?" She asked as she began to disrobe.

Lily popped only one eye open to see her friends. She smirked, "Sirius and Marlene have a bit of bet."

"Ooh, drama," Mary smiled. "Share."

Marlene gave Lily a stern look. She dipped her hair under water and slicked it back. "Sirius is under this far-gone impression that he can somehow… _win_ me over," she clarified.

"Is it that far-gone?" Dorcas asked rhetorically as she examined her fingernails.

Marlene splashed Dorcas with water. The brunette glared, but chose to remain silent. "It is _far-gone_ ," Marlene insisted. "Either way, I am going to win this bet."

"So, let me get this straight," Emmeline said as she dipped into the pool gracefully. "You made a bet with Sirius Black that he couldn't win you over?"

"Precisely," Marlene nodded proudly.

"Do you mean just in terms of shagging or… emotionally?"

Lily raised her head finally and opened her eyes. She gave Emmeline and Mary a knowing look and said, "the latter." She added a wink for dramatic effect.

Emmeline and Mary both gasped as if they had seen one of the male ghosts in their bathroom. "You didn't," Mary murmured, still in shock.

"Marls, when was the last time you actually _wanted_ to date someone?" Emmeline asked. "And I mean more than just shag for a day or two?"

The blond thought about this for a long moment, but came up with a simple conclusion: "Never."

"So, you're going to make poor Black run around chasing you like a dog after a bone?" Mary added.

"I would never use the word 'poor' and 'Black' in the same sentence," Dorcas interjected.

"Thank you, Dorcas," Marlene pointed out. "Either way, the prat needs to learn that women aren't his just for the taking. And if it's through heartbreak with me then so be it."

"So, you are doing this for witches, on a global scale?" Mary asked.

Marlene pouted, "When you put it like that, aye?"

"You know this is going to end poorly for one of you, right?" Lily said reasonably. "Either, you are going to get hurt -" Marlene let out a "please" - "or Sirius is going to get hurt. Or better yet, James is going to get hurt."

Marlene opened her mouth for a retort, but instead, a scowl appeared. "Why you so concerned with my cousin's well-being? Do you fancy him?" She asked mockingly.

Lily's eyes widened before she closed them. She rested her head back against the edge and said nothing.

Dorcas, who really wasn't to blame for her own telepathic skills, simple gawked for a minute. She looked down at Lily with wide eyes and said, "No way. You enjoyed it."

Lily snapped up and asked, "Did you just read my mind? Wait, how did you know!"

Dorcas instantly blushed but chose to keep her mouth shut. She knew she was wrong to do look into someone else's mind, but Lily's mind was currently in a state of shambles. It was hard not to get at least one clear reading.

Marlene put up her hands like a referee. "Wait, wait! What's going on!"

"Dorcas being nosy," Lily grumbled petulantly.

"Okay, okay, you know I can't control it all the time, not since the Quidditch match against Ravenclaw," insisted Dorcas. "I didn't mean to, but you ought to tell them."

"Did you know beforehand?"

Dorcas again kept quiet.

"Why didn't you tell me that you knew?!" Lily insisted, exasperated.

"What's going on!?" Emmeline asked.

Dorcas and Lily exchanged a long meaningful look before the ginger let out a long sigh. "I may have kissed James."

Because she was a dramatic to her core, Marlene pretended to drown and slipped under the water. Emmeline gawked, while Mary looked like a proud mother.

"About damn time!" Mary said, clapping.

"Why are you endorsing this!" Lily countered. "It was one mishap stemmed from copious amounts of sexual tension! It means nothing."

Emmeline began to rub her temples. "I'm going through overload," she announced to herself.

When Marlene came back up for air, she began howling. The noise bounced around the bathroom and got even louder. "Oh, it's a good day, Ladies. It's a good day."

"It is not!" countered Lily. "I shouldn't have done it."

"You initiated it?" Mary asked, still on a high. "This gets better and better. Where'd you do it? When'd you do it?"

Lily closed her eyes, this time out of frustration. "After detention with Flitwick. I don't know what happened, he was holding me-"

"Whoa, whoa, Mary, cover your ears," Emmeline said, protecting the innocent one's pure mind.

"Sod off," Mary said, shooing her friend away. "I have to hear this. Why was he holding you?"

"I was about to fall from one of the ladder, and he caught me. And well, I don't know, it just conjured something. Maybe it's because of Connor, but I wanted to be… _held."_

"Or shagged," Dorcas added dryly.

Lily punched Dorcas in the calf. The Slytherin didn't react to the pain, but simply said, "Tell yourself whatever you'd like about Connor, but this had nothing to do with Connor, did it?"

"Out. Of. My. Head." Lily said sternly.

"You don't need to be a ligilmens to know when someone else feels guilty," the brunette said earnestly. "But, I can show you your thoughts from that night's soire, if you'd like."

Some teenage girls may have been highly threatened by this notion, or so Dorcas thought. But, these girls were different. Marlene waded through the bubbles to get closer to Dorcas and rested her hands on the Slytherin's knees. "Can you really do that? I've been waiting for this moment for the past three years, and would love to see it with me own eyes." She was so excited that her Scottish accent was making its true appearance.

Lily pushed her in the shoulder. "Fuck off, Marlene." She genuinely sounded irritated.

"How long are you going to keep playing this game, Lily?" Marlene countered, with her own irritation rising. "I mean, Dorcas can literally replay what went on that night if you need further proof."

"Proof of what?"

"Proof to show you how idiotic this game is between you two. Proof that you want to snog each other senseless and shag each other's brains out!"

Dorcas made a gagging noise at the visceral images provided.

"There is no game to play," Lily corrected. "James is with Camilla!"

"And everyone in this room, including yourself, knows that James would drop Camilla in a heartbeat if it meant getting a chance to be a with you. Yet, you are the only one who has an issue with that."

Just by the decibel of Marlene's voice, the three non-Gryffindors knew to keep their mouths quiet. Both Marlene and Lily were significantly more hot-headed than other three, so perhaps it would just be best to not interfere.

"Dorcas! What does James think about most?" Marlene asked, trying to prove a point. If she wasn't a musician, the girl would make a talented lawyer.

Dorcas kept inspecting her nails.

"Dorcas!" shouted Marlene.

The Slytherin did not like demands, but by the way that Marlene was trying to prove the truth, it was hard not to listen. Also, Lily now looked interested too. She was trying hard to demonstrate indifference, but it was a feeble attempt.

"Well, James tends to think about only a selection of things," Dorcas murmured, suddenly becoming embarrassed of her own abilities. "He thinks about his parents and their old age, Quidditch, and birds."

"See!" Lily said, proudly.

Dorcas continued, "but recently, he's been replaying your snog session in the staircase during lectures. Another girl has entered his mental plane in at least weeks."

Lily couldn't contain her blush. She was still ticked though as she looked up at Dorcas and asked, "You knew?"

"Yes, but it wasn't my business to say anything."

"Then, why did you gasp when Marlene mentioned James not a moment ago?"

Dorcas shrugged, "Truthfully, I had always known that James was into you. Everyone knows that. But, what was really interesting was that you can't mentally deny that you feel guilty about snogging Potter. And people only feel guilty if a) they know they're wrong or b) they enjoyed it. So, I'm taking that you enjoy liking Potter, but you know you shouldn't?" She was trying to dumb it down for the rest of the girls, because verbally explaining cognitive processes made very little sense.

Lily crossed her arms and took a few deep breaths. "I hate him."

"Does that work like a mantra for you?" Marlene asked. "Or, have you just been telling yourself that long enough that you know believe it?"

Lily's will for hate was dwindling. Everything was making more and more sense. Well, no. It didn't make any sense that she actually fancied James Potter, and just in time for him to date another girl. But, the whole situation was more clear now. She couldn't help her feelings, and she had to admit that.

"Even if I don't hate him," Lily said after a minute, "I already messed everything up."

"What else happened?" Mary asked quietly, not wanting Lily to feel bombarded with questions.

Lily wiped a hand over her face and said, "I told him that we couldn't do it again."

"Oh, goody, just dragging on the inevitable," Marlene scoffed.

Lily ignored her sarcasm. "My feelings for James make me feel guilty. It's been making me feel guilty for months now, and so I told him that we couldn't do this anymore. That we could only be friends."

"And what'd he say?" Emmeline asked.

"He told me that… it was done for him too," Lily said, her eyes peering down at the water. She was too ashamed to look into any of her friends' eyes. They had been telling her about this for months too, and she had been denying it all this time. "He was done chasing after me. Remus was right."

"What'd Remus say?" Dorcas asked.

"I've been pulling James on an emotional leash," she said, sheepishly.

Marlene sighed and leaned on the wall besides Lily. "Well, he isn't wrong. And nor is James."

"I messed up," Lily repeated.

"Yeah, you did," Marlene said, leaning her head onto Lily's soft shoulder. "He still would pick you over Camilla though."

This caused the four girls to smile, all except Lily. She simply sighed, "I'm not ruining their relationship for the sake of my happiness. That's childish, selfish… and anything else with -ish in it!"

Marlene scoffed, "There is only so much relationship to ruin though."

Lily slapshed Marlene with water and laughed, "I'm not a Homewrecker, Marlene McKinnon."

"But homewrecking is so much fun," Marlene smirked devilishly. "Especially when the home never had a foundation."

Remus Lupin was a wreck. He sat alone in the Shreiking Shack with nothing but his thoughts to keep him company. He had his head in between his legs and focused on the skewed wood planks. Poppy brought him a radio, which he appreciated. Some transitions would be easier if he could focus on something else. Since this night, there was nothing particularly interesting on the radio, he had to make do with his own memories.

First, he thought of his mum. He tried to smell the tea she'd make for him at home during the full moon. He thought of her soft voice when she'd laugh at one his Marauder pranks. And, he thought of how sick she was.

Next thought. He thought of finals. James and Sirius had been helping him with studies during the last full moons. Peter would cheer him on as always. Sixth year really brought about a new side to the professors, and Remus was unsure that he could keep up. How could professors expect sixteen year-olds to balance school work and a social life with mountains and mountains of homework?

Well, Remus was seventeen now. His mum told him that he was born in the afternoon, around 4:20pm. So, he was officially seventeen now. He was legal; he could drink, buy magical lotto tickets, and apparate when he obtained his license. He should be celebrating with Firewhiskey and Butterbeers, not alone in a shack.

Actually, fuck the alcohol. He wanted to get belligerently stoned and be in bed. With Dorcas Meadowes actually. Oh, he enjoyed this thought. It actually dulled the pain, so he went along with it.

Remus imagined them entirely naked in a large King bed, maybe inside of the Room of Requirement. He thought of shagging her until the sun came up, in a multitude of positions. He imagined what her moans would sound like: breathy and long. He pictured her plump lips open and begging for air and him. He even smiled at the thought of her orgasm.

"Fuck," he groaned as he felt his body shift, snapping him out of his lovely daydream.

Remus could no longer hold off the transition. He had been trying to do so for the last hour, and the time had come. His bones began cracking and contorting in ways that would remind one of the circus. He let out a vicious roar as claws began poking through nails. His limbs stretched, and his teeth sharpened. It felt like hell was breaking loss in his bones - everything was burning. After the fire in his bones went out, the ashes created something new.

The Werewolf let out a long howl, loud and high. If one were too close, it could possibly make ears bleed. It scratched through the wood, and some residents in the village of Hogsmeade could even hear the painful noise. The Werewolf wanted to rip and shred the shack apart, tear it into pieces with his own teeth. He wanted to be set free.

After minutes, or maybe even hours, of banging against the wall, the Werewolf heard a noise. It was a loud bark from what seemed like the lower level of the shack. The wolf moved to a corner, bending at the knees into a predatory position.

The door opened slightly, but no one was there. The wolf growled at the sight of a small chubby rat, peeking its head into the room. He was about to pounce at it, but it skittered away. The wolf followed the rodent, still cautious of its large movements and moved down the stairs sloppily. The rat skittered outside through the creaked open door. The wolf used its snout to poke through and make a larger entrance.

Outside, in the cool March night, stood an unlikely trio: a large stag, a scraggly black dog, and the rat. Instead of having an urge to kill these mammals, the wolf felt an overwhelming sense of relief. The wolf did not know why, but it felt better having these three around.

The dog barked again and bent down for the rat to climb onto its head. The dog and rat followed the stag further into the woods. With its enhanced vision, the wolf could see a large glowing light further into the woods. It looked like a bonfire.

Although Remus Lupin would not be to entirely able remember his birthday night as a lycanthrope, his best mates would. They would fill him on all the details that his instincts would force him to forget.

Speaking of instincts, it really felt like someone was watching the motley crew of animals. The wolf turned his head back before following his mammalian friends and heard nothing but a rustle in the bushes. Perhaps, it was nothing but another lurking animal.

* * *

 _A/N - To make up for three weeks of ghosting, I decided to add another chapter as soon as it was ready. If it suits you, please review, favorite, or follow, they do mean a lot! Let me know what you think._

 _Thanks for reading,_

 _Rose_


	27. Chapter 27

**Chapter 27**

 **March 10** **th** **, 1977**

Dorcas Meadowes panted for air while grasping onto the armrests of her chair. Either she needed to stop smoking, or she was actually tired now. After a few moments of oxygen flow, she looked up to Max McKinnon. "Can we take a break… _now?_ "

Max, who was leaning against a desk, loosened the top two buttons to his shirt. "Sure," he said, a bit groggily.

If the setting had been more romantic, maybe somewhere out on a nice beach, or if he had not been penetrating her mind, Dorcas would have been thoroughly pleased by the sight. However, right now, she was more interested in the cup of water.

Dorcas finished the cup in three heavy gulps. This session was exceptionally harder than the last. She decided that he must've been taking it easy on her last week. Max fiddled through her mind like it was filing cabinet, picking out some of the most terrible images.

The last one was of her mum drowning in the canal. Her mum, still beautiful in her agony, was still as a statue as she let herself get crushed by water. That was when she was eleven years old. She hadn't thought about that in months.

So, Dorcas did what she always did to relax. She reached for a cigarette.

"Oh, C'mon, Dorcas," grumbled Max, "That's real bad for your health. You have read the muggle science reports on it, haven't you?"

Dorcas gave him an unamused look as she lit the cig with her wand. "You know what's also unhealthy?" She asked dully. " _This._ "

" _You-Know-Who_ does not care about your health," Max countered, pouring her another glass of water.

"And truthfully, right now, nor do I," she huffed. She let out a big cloud, separating herself from the professor.

"He would be able to get into your mind right now, while you're busy smoking instead of protecting your brain."

"He's the fucking arsehole of the entire magical world! He has Europe at its knees, so he probably has better things to be doing than trying to get into my head!"

Max sighed. "Unfortunately, Dorcas," he said in a calm voice, "he does not think he does… _LIGILMENS!_ "

Dorcas was a smart girl. She should've seen that one coming.

"Fight it!" Max demanded.

But truthfully, Dorcas was too tired at this moment too fight. The last vision was too painful. So, Max took on full reign.

Like a slideshow, Max sorted through some of Dorcas' darkest memories. He made her re-live moments throughout her childhood that she was doing such a good job at suppressing. Her therapist would've been pleased, in some sort of way.

After a while, Max veered away from the pain and abuse in her childhood and moved onto something more current: Hogwarts, her sort-of safe haven. Although she never really had friends here either because she was the only muggle-born to be sorted into her house for more than a century, she felt safer here than at home.

Dorcas made friends here. Emma, her dear gold digger of a companion. For five and a half years, Dorcas couldn't have done Hogwarts without Emma. Even through her endless loads of sarcasm and abnormal amounts of self-preservation, Emma still looked at for Dorcas during their younger years of Hogwarts. But, like everyone else in her life, Emma left too.

"Stop," Dorcas murmured, dizzy from the pain.

"Fight me, Dorcas," Max demanded.

Max went further, coaxing Dorcas to fight back. He found something even more intimate than her first friendship. He picked out true friendship, companionship.

It was the time that Remus had found Dorcas sleeping out by the Black Lake. The time where they touched and were so close together. It had been a long time since she had felt safe with someone.

" _Max,_ " she said with a strained voice.

That wasn't the only memory of Remus though. The Mentor also reminded her the time that Remus and Dorcas first really chatted. It was back at the McKinnon New Year's Eve party. They were sitting outside under the stars, getting slightly tipsy together. It was peaceful, and yes, Dorcas enjoyed the way Remus looked at her, even then.

 _"_ _Stop it,"_ Dorcas hissed, now trying to push against Max's mental intrusion. He couldn't see this.

"So, this is who you were chatting up before me, aye?" Max asked. "I knew he was looking at you funny that night."

Max switched the scenario again. Suddenly, Dorcas was scolding Remus, explaining to him why she couldn't forgive him. She had to keep her secrets safe, and now that she trusted them with someone else, she was vulnerable.

Remus made her vulnerable.

"Doesn't seem like too bad of a bloke, aye?" Max asked, now just being an entire prick. "Smart kid, for sure."

" _ENOUGH!"_ Dorcas demanded. A gush of wind pushed Max away from Dorcas, just enough to break their mental connection. She nearly collapsed back into her seat while he grabbed onto the ledge of the nearby table. They both took deep breaths, just staring at each other.

"Good job," Max muttered, breathing heavily.

Dorcas wanted to curse him out, and he probably could infer that. But, she kept it to herself. She was officially too tired now. She reached down for that second cup of water that he had left by the chair.

"I'm sorry for doing that," Max said honestly. "Nothing is too intimate for _Him._ Learning occulemency is a hard art for someone like you."

When she finished her cup, she repeated, "someone like me?"

"Someone who has so many negative memories."

"Ah."

"But," he added, with some hope. "If you continue to focus on the concept of being a blank slate, there will be nothing for you-know-who to read. It's hard, but you seem like a smart enough girl."

"How'd you learn this?" Dorcas asked. "How'd you get so good at ligilemency _and_ occulemency?"

Max thought for a moment, searching for the words. "Well, aren't some people naturally harder for you to read than others?" He asked rhetorically. "I'm naturally harder, apparently."

Dorcas grimaced at the bad joke that was hard to ignore.

"Grow up, Meadowes. I'm sure you encounter this on a regular basis. I'm actually fascinated in how you hear people's thoughts."

Dorcas shrugged, "Don't really know. Some people sound like static, others are like the radio. But, there are rare few that are just silent, dead silent. It's creepy in a way, but relaxing. Everyone used to be silent before I kind of took my wall down."

"Your wall?"

"Yes, a wall. I know literal and figurative. I kept a part of my brain trained to go only a certain height, if you will, before I knocked it out down. It was much easier back then to, let me tell you that."

"Why'd you knock it down?"

Dorcas paused. She looked down at her feet. "Paranoia."

"Paranoia is what you need to forget about if you want to learn occulumency." Max pulled a chair out to face her and plopped down. He prepared himself as if setting up a Quidditch play to his team. "Occulmency is weird. You have to forget about paranoia because you have to be sure in your memories and thoughts."

"Sure?"

"Confidence and trust in your memories - and in a way, yourself – is key. You have to learn to be so sure in your personhood that you can compartmentalize events and feelings. You'll be a blank slate, and thus, unreadable."

Dorcas blinked a few times. That was a lot to process in her groggy mind. "How do you expect me to do that, Max?" She asked. "You know, with all my negative memories and whatnot? Because, Merlin, I thought I was good at compartmentalization. My therapist used to always compliment my ego defenses."

"Dorcas, Dorcas," Max chuckled. He smiled at her, a rather giddy one that made her want to break his jaw. "You're remarkably talented at compartmentalizing your emotions. I mean, look at you and Lupin."

"Can we _not_ go there?" She asked reasonably. "That's too weird."

"If you can somehow emulate whatever you're doing with that poor lad into your compartmentalization skills, Love, you will have the Great Wall of Occulmens."

Dorcas did not like the implications of that at all.

* * *

 **March 11** **th** **, 1977**

Marlene McKinnon walked to Potions alone from the tower that Friday morning. Lily was already out of bed for an early morning prefect meeting, and the other girls had gone to breakfast. She enjoyed the walk alone as she hummed "Lucy in the Sky with Diamonds."

"Lovely, lovely, lovely," a voice said from behind.

Without looking back, Marlene said to Sirius Black, "Merlin, you're creepy."

"Some call it observant," Sirius said, catching up to the blond.

"Or creepy."

"You know that I'm not trying to be, right?" He asked. They slowed down as they approached the dungeon. "I'm just merely listening to your lovely vocal cords. I really would fancy the chance to hear you sing, privately."

Marlene scoffed, "In your wildest dreams."

"Wettest, Darling."

She made a disgusted noise, while Sirius just laughed, "All right. Too far, too far. But, I am interested in one thing."

"Oh?" She asked, trying to appear blank.

"Go on a date with me, McKinnon."

"I beg your pardon?"

"A date," Sirius said simply. "We hold hands. I compliment you. You compliment me. We perhaps shag at the end. Ah, we can even go to that pink frilly café that all the birds like to go."

Marlene raised her eyebrows. "Madam Pudifoot's?" She asked, surprised that he even knew the business.

"Yes, precisely."

"Black, if you intend on taking me there on a date, you must be out of your damn mind," she said firmly.

Sirius smiled, the crooked one. "See, this is going to be fantastic. We already have the same schedule."

She rolled her eyes and leaned against the wall with the other Potions students. "I didn't say yes."

"You didn't say no, either."

Marlene thought of a very good rebuttal, but instead kept quiet as another thought ran through her mind. She had to remind herself that this was all a game, and for the past several days, she's been avoiding the game entirely. Ignoring the other opponent seemed like the best way to win, especially against Sirius. To truly win the game, she had to play the game.

So, she could break his heart and ego in the end.

"Fair point," she nodded solemnly. "When and where?"

Sirius looked at her as if she had suddenly grown another eye in the middle of her forehead. "Pardon?"

"You asked me on a date, Sirius," she said simply. "You don't have any details?" She played into it, adding a tone of surprise at the end.

The boy scoffed. "I have many details," he countered, standing a little straighter now. "How about we meet by the gate together, say around 1?"

Marlene smiled lightly. "Perfect."

"Perfect," Sirius nodded.

The two Gryffindors wrapped up their conversation just as Professor Slughorn opened the doors for his NEWTs to enter. Sirius and Marlene split up as he went to sit behind Remus and Peter while she with Dorcas.

"You look pleased," Dorcas muttered, eyeing her friend's fiendish expression.

"Don't you just love when you put men in their place?" Marlene sighed as she pulled out her notebooks.

Dorcas raised an eyebrow, not quite sure what she meant. But, she didn't have the time to ask since Professor Slughorn decided to prompt with his lesson today.

The pudgy professor started calling out surnames in a hurried fashion. Everyone was accounted for except two rather prominent students. "Where are Miss Evans and Mr. Potter?" The professor asked.

"Right here!"

The ginger came dashing in the room and apologized for her lateness. "I'm sorry, just ran to get some breakfast after a meeting," she explained hurriedly before taking an empty desk in the back.

"Breakfast is the most important part of a meal," agreed Professor Slughorn.

Lily put up a hand to inform the teacher of the correct saying, but decided against it and just pulled out her notebook instead.

"Now," Professor Slughorn sighed, "it seems we are just missing Mr. Potter- well, fancy that."

The dark-haired boy ran into class, out of breath. He bowed his head in apology and was about to sit in the adjacent empty desk besides Lily.

"Mr. Potter, can you sit next to Miss Evans today? We're going to do a practical lab today on concoting Amortenia."

The room went silent, so everyone could hear Sirius' muffled chuckle under his breath.

James, on the other hand, was far from amused. He looked down at Lily, who was blushing profusely and refusing to make eye contact, and mumbled, "Sure."

As if he were sitting next to an enlarged beetle, James slowly removed his bags to sit beside Lily Evans. He refused to look at her, just as she had done to him. He made sure to keep a good distance so that not even their sleeves would touch.

Professor Slughorn explained the guidelines for his pupils; listing the ingredients and the purpose. He revealed that their partners would be the ones beside them. Many of the female students were rather tantalized by the prospect, especially the lovesick Irina Allen who sat next to Sirius.

It was James' turn to chuckle.

"All right, grab your ingredients," instructed the Professor. He motioned to the glass cabinet and said, "Create, my students!"

Lily and James looked at each other for moment, neither one willing to be first. For a while, the professor thought that they were just going to stare into each other's eyes all day. That's one way to teach a love potions lesson.

Lily cleared her throat and said, "I can get the ingredients while you start the heating process."

James shook his head. "You're better at Potions by far," he said while standing up, "I'll go fetch the ingredients." He left without another word.

Although he had a point, Lily couldn't help but feel defeated with James. She watched as he walked away before noticing Dorcas's and Marlene's staring. She gave them a stern look, signifying stop.

The two other girls exchanged glances. Marlene gave Lily an encouraging look and mouthed, ' _Talk to him.'_

' _Sod off,'_ Lily retorted silently.

Marlene sighed as Dorcas chuckled before they returned to their own work.

As Lily set-up the cauldron, James returned with a basket full of ingredients. She looked down and was impressed by how well he chose his ingredients. During practical lessons, Lily would always make sure to get the most fresh looking ingredients (as long as the recipe called for it).

"Are they acceptable?" He asked tersely.

Lily nodded, "Yes, very much so."

They chopped and sliced in silence, both doing a fine job. Even Professor Slughorn commended them on their no nonsense and silent work ethic. "You two ought to work together more," he said. "Evans, you help Potter focus, in comparison to Black."

James smirked at that but said nothing as he continued crushing the pearls.

"Thanks, Professor," Lily said awkwardly.

Their professor left them to finish their work in relative peace. However, the two did not speak another word. They continued their chopping, shaving, and crushing independently, neither one knowing what to say.

When the time came, James took the job of stirring the mixture while Lily added the ingredients at the perfect time. She dropped everything with great care and delicacy, allowing the aroma to waft through the air.

"What does it smell like to you?" Lily asked.

James looked down at her, noticing that she watched the ingredients fall with intent. She couldn't meet his eyes, at least not yet. "Why does it matter?" He asked, trying his best to remain cold. Truthfully, he was more curious than cold.

"It doesn't," Lily clarified. "I'm just curious."

James bent down to sniff the potion a little bit. So far, it didn't smell like anything in particular, just the ingredients. "It's supposed to remind you of the one you love, right? I got nothing," he said.

Lily shrugged. There was a bit of a smirk at the end. "It doesn't necessarily mean love," she explained, dropping a few rose thorns at a slow pace.

He raised an eyebrow. "Then what does it mean?"

"It means the one you're attracted to," Lily said, wiping her hands of the thorns. She looked up at him with those big round eyes.

Something had changed in the green orbs. Even in their best moments, Lily always had a glint of displeasure or anger hidden in her eyes when talking to him. Even when she snogged him that night in the stairwell, Lily looked as if she wanted to beat him while doing it. Shit, he might've let her beat him then.

Now, Lily's eyes looked as calm as an oasis pond. They were clear and full of purpose. It made him feel like he was under a spotlight, especially when she looked him up and down.

"Mine smells like fresh morning dew, a garden of flowers, and … " she leaned over to sniff the cauldron again. She pushed a piece of hair behind her ear and looked up at him before saying, "sweat."

James chuckled. "Seriously? Your romantic fantasy is sweat?"

Lily just gave a slight shrug. "It doesn't have to make sense, does it? Like it didn't have to make sense when I told you those that shite about not speaking again."

He closed his eyes. So, this is where she was going with all that Amortenia talk. Honestly, James should've known better. Lily Evans always had an angle. "I'm not up for this," he said simply.

"Just hear me out," Lily said, her voice close to pleading. "You don't have to speak, just listen."

James decided to do just that, because the other choice was curse her out right there in the classroom. He just kept stirring.

Lily reached out for the dust and tapped it in delicately. "I said those things because I was scared. I wanted to blame you for my guilt, and that's not right. It's just that everything has been so confusing lately. For a while, I blamed it on Connor. I genuinely thought that I needed time away from boys, in general. Not that you're just a _boy._ But, you get what I mean."

James wanted to ask what he had meant by that, but instead chose silence. He thought it was even cute to watch Lily ramble.

"The truth of the matter," Lily said, setting down the cup of pearl dust, "is that I didn't need time away from boys. I was using time to get myself away from you."

He waited for her to go on.

"I've now tried to do anything and everything to keep myself away from you," She added, with a chuckle. "And it's ruddy pointless because here I am, next you, literally making the world strongest love drug. If that's not a damn sign than I don't know what is."

James kept stirring, because now he was speechless. Not for some important reason but simply because words would just not form in his voice box. Nothing came out.

Lily cocked an eyebrow. "James, you can stop stirring now," she reminded.

James' hand stopped its circular motions. He rested the ladle on the side of the cauldron and wiped his chin.

"Does it smell like anything yet?" Lily asked, her voice becoming a little more cautious now. She leaned down to blow out the fire below.

James sniffed the waves of heat. It reminded him of New Year's, like the rose champagne he had at New Year's. He also got a whiff of something musty, like old parchment. And lastly, there was a slight tree smell. Perhaps it was an evergreen.

"Champagne, parchment, and trees," James listed.

Lily shrugged, "Sounds like a good time. I mean, Sirius would be champagne but I don't see the rest."

James chuckled at the poor joke. He couldn't help himself despite its lackluster delievery.

"I know I said you don't have to speak," Lily said after a moment. "But, maybe we can speak again… soon?"

The boy didn't have time to answer, not that he had one at the ready. He was interrupted by their Professor, whom came over to congratulate them for making an excellent brew.

"Well done," Professor Slughorn clapped. "You two did quite the job. You finished promptly too."

"Thank you," Lily nodded.

"Well, class will be ending. Why don't you put it in a vial, and then clean-up your station? You can leave a little early then."

The two exchanged glances. James watched as Lily broke first and began clearing up the ingredients. She left James with the vial, which he poured carefully. He left it on their station, writing 'Evans & Potter' on the plaque card so Slughorn would remember their work.

Although his handwriting was shite, James did enjoy the way their names looked together. There was something classic about their surnames. He really liked the idea of both of them being written as Potter, but that was a fantasy that was too outlandish for even him.

But, there was always a middle ground.

James watched as Lily swung her knapsack over her shoulder. He wanted to hate her, because it was the easiest choice. The choice with the least amount of baggage to deal with. But, maybe he was into baggage. Sure, he appreciated the way the baggage looked, but dealing with the baggage was headache inducing. And ruddy smart. And undeniably stubborn. And clever.

And beautiful.

Who the fuck was he kidding?

As they left the dungeon, Lily turned back to him. "I'm going to wait for Marlene- Potter, why are you grabbing at me?"

James was never a pushy guy when it came to women, at least not physically. But, right now, he was all hormones and zero mind. He took Lily by the wrist and over to a large tapestry. He double checked to make sure that no one was in the hall before pulling Lily behind it.

James took her face into both of his hands and pressed his lips against her desperately. Now, if he had any doubt about her enthusiasm, she immediately squashed that. To James' surprise, Lily wrapped her arms around his neck and let her lips open slightly. She released a moan as James slid his tongue into her mouth, letting him finally explore her lovely mouth.

They parted briefly, only to catch their breaths. "So, no talking, aye?" She panted, her lips swollen from sucking.

"No talking," James agreed, pulling her closer again. He pulled her by the waist and began sucking on her neck. She crooned softly, holding him close. Her fingernails dug into the cotton of his shirt, demanding his intimacy.

Lily knew for a fact that she was going to have black-and-blue where James sucked, but she didn't mind. It felt like heaven as he nibbled and soothed all at the same time. When it became too much, she dragged James back to kiss him again. She appreciated the noise he made when sucked on his lower lip.

As if she held life-or-death medication, James began tearing at her robes. He un-tucked her blouse so that he could have access to her smooth skin. He smirked into their kiss when she shivered at his touch.

"Ooh," Lily sighed, letting her head loll back. He began sucking her neck again.

James' hands slid all the way up to her covered breasts. Now, James Potter was bold but normally, he didn't have his hands up a bird's shirt unless they at least had a door or a wall separating them. But, the way that she was moaning compelled him not give a damn.

"J-James," she whined.

And that was it. Yep, that's all it took. His first name. Now, he had to fuck her right here against this wall.

James squeezed a breast tightly, eliciting a soft gasp from Lily. Her eyes blinked open as James removed his mouth from her neck. He was about to rip the damn thing but then he heard the Professor's voice boom. He was asking the students to leave, since Sirius and Irina had caused a momentary explosion.

Lily gulped, and James removed himself from her. She peeked out while fixing her robes.

James saw the back of her neck and took the opportunity to see what other spots made her moan. He licked the back of her neck and shivered. She let out a tiny groan too before turning back to pushing him off.

James watched her, aghast. Now, the bird was truly out of his mind. He watched as she fixed her knapsack and walked out from the tapestry, to join the rest of the students.

"Are you bloody kidding me?" He grumbled.

And she may or may not have heard, but either way, Lily turned around. She gave him a wink and a shy smile before joining the crowd of flustered students.

James rubbed the back of his neck. "Huh."

* * *

 _A/N - Hehe. Cackle cackle. Hardy Ha. I've been waiting for this moment desperately. Let me know your thoughts: review, favorite, follow, or PM._

 _ROSE_


	28. Chapter 28

**Still March 10** **th** **, 1977**

James Potter threw his head back, his forehead slick with sweat. His glasses fogged due to his excessive, yet necessary panting. He let a low whistle at the sight before him. It was one he cherished greatly.

Each member of his Quidditch Team laid on the grass, looking up to the sky while gasping for air. It had been one of their hardest practices yet since James was mighty determined to win the upcoming match. He smirked, "Good job, Mates. This - _cough_ \- is indicative of our hard work. We will reap the fruits of our labor-"

"Sod off, James," Sirius Black said, still searching for oxygen. He lifted only his middle finger up.

"We are done for the day, right?" Esmerelda Smith, a third year chaser, asked quietly while sitting up.

James was about to complain, because truthfully, there was much more to be done. However, he noticed the tired bunch had yet to move from the comatose positions. He rubbed his chin and exhaled, "Fine. Get some rest tonight, you lot. We did brilliant today, but we have to keep it up, aye?"

The Quidditch Team moved achingly up and off the field, leaving James in the middle. Only Sirius, who took he longest to get up, stayed. He rested a hand on James's shoulder. "Please tell me that you're aware that Henley has been watching the entire practice, right?" He asked quietly.

James looked up from the ground and said, "That's exactly why I didn't take my shirt off. I'm dying under here."

Sirius rolled his eyes as they each took a side of the ball chest. "Have you spoken with her? She looked pretty pissy when you told her off on Saturday."

James shook his head. "I can't really face her, not after what Lily had said about promising Henley that we weren't a thing." _And the fact that we snogged under a tapestry after class…_

"You can't just ignore her," Sirius said as if it were obvious.

"That's truly rich coming from Hogwarts' very own playboy bunny."

"All I am saying is that you live under one tower."

"I think she's been avoiding me too," James added. They set down the chest once they were underneath the tent. They began to make their way up the staircase when James added, "she's been dodgy. And unusually calm."

"Yeah, calm is not her forte," agreed Sirius.

"You think she knows?" James asked.

"About which one?" Sirius asked, raising a brow.

James had relayed everything to Sirius before practice, about both snogs with Lily. He thought it would be best to tell Remus some point today, after his recovery from his celebration. And, he would wait to tell Peter. He loved the little guy, but Peter was not the best at keeping secrets.

Not that he wanted to keep his two _sublime_ snogs a secret from the world. James was more concerned with preventing Lily from creating more boundaries for them. He hated her for pushing him away, even though she'd just pull him back. It felt like the longest game of tug-of-war. But that wink yesterday maybe finalized the game.

"Hmmm…" Sirius said, tapping his finger against his chin. He tapped it for extra long, pushing James' patience. "Truthfully, yes. Birds know everything-"

"James?"

"Speaking of the devil…" Sirius grumbled with wide, vulnerable eyes.

James looked down the staircase to see Camilla Henley at the end. She looked lovely as always, but there was something different. The usual fire and passion that just radiated off of her was gone now. James couldn't place the word, but the closest intuition he got was that she seemed peaceful.

"Hi," he said awkwardly. He earned an eye roll from his best mate.

Camilla smiled, "Do you mind if we talk for a second?"

James looked to Sirius, who motioned with his hands for him to step forward. "Oh, please, don't let me stop you," Sirius smiled, aiming for reluctant chivalry. James wanted to punch him, but instead just walked past him. "Have fun, kiddies," Sirius said, waving them off.

"I'm sorry that he's a prick - he was just born like that," James clarified as he and Camilla walked out of sight.

She scoffed, "Oh, I know."

James cleared his throat. "So, what's it that you want to talk about?"

Camilla looked down at her feet and said, "This is hard for me, so bear with me. Okay?"

"Sure," he nodded, not liking where this was going at all. James prayed for a conversation about Quidditch, OWL advice, or even the bloody war going on. Anything but a possibly deafening speech about Lily Evans.

"I think we should end this," she said simply, looking up at him. "Whatever it is that we're doing."

James blinked once, twice, and then thrice. "You're breaking up with me?"

"Were we really even dating?" Camilla asked. He couldn't help but notice the little smirk on her face. She had a point, and she knew it. She went on to say, "James, I really fancy you."

"I fancy you too." He immediately regretted saying that; it was like a knee-jerk reaction. Even though it wasn't helping anyone to lie, James felt he needed to. For some strange reason to appease women.

She shook her head, but didn't look angry. "No, you don't. Or at least not the way I fancy you. I want to be with you, but I don't think you're ready to be with me. Even if you wanted to be."

James expected this break-up to be a lot of things, but he would never have expected to hear those words come out of Camilla's mouth.

"I want someone who cherishes me, sees me as their everything, and I know that's a lot to ask from someone-"

"It is," agreed James.

Camilla laughed a little and shrugged, "It took me a lot to realize that it was. I expected it right off the bat from you the moment you took interest in me. It was a bit of a slag move-"

"Okay, no need to switch from self-worshipping to self-degradation."

"- _But_ , it's what I want," Camilla added. She said it with so much confidence and clarity that no one could convince her otherwise. "People are dying and battles go on everyday. It may be dramatic but I don't want to waste my possibly short-lived time with someone who clearly doesn't want me."

James felt a bit shook and a bit attacked. He didn't know why, he just did. So, naturally he felt the need to defend himself. "Camilla, I do want you. It- it's just that… it's complicated."

He hated the way that sounded too.

Camilla scoffed. "Is it really that complicated to understand that I don't want to be with you because you still are chasing after Lily Evans?"

James' eyes widened, but said nothing. He was intrigued as to where this was headed.

"Hestia may have seen you two snog on the stairwell last week."

"Bloody Hell," he grumbled. Intrigue lost.

"But, don't blame it on her," Camilla added quickly. "I felt like this for a while. And, truthfully, I'm glad it happened. Because, it finally made me see what I couldn't for so long."

"Evans kissed me." Why was he still defending himself? An act he enjoyed immensely.

"That should make it so much more easy for you to understand this then," Camilla countered. She took a deep breath. "James, she's for once in arm's reach of you. Why would _I_ want to be in the way of that? No one enjoys being the antagonist of a good love story."

James enjoyed the pun but tried not to let it show. He looked down at Camilla. Somehow, she was still smiling, as if this were all funny. He then said the most honest thing that he had ever said to her, "I'm sorry."

Camilla bit her lip before saying, "Me too." She turned away to go back down the stairs, but looked back once she took hold of the banister. "I hope you get her, because this would really blow then."

James laughed as he looked down at his shoes. "I hope so too. Camilla?"

"Yes?"

Perhaps this was out of line, but James Potter did not adhere to normal social lines. "Have you ever thought of Dirk? He couldn't keep his eyes off of you all practice today?"

Camilla blushed beet red before saying her official goodbye to James Potter.

* * *

Emmeline Kim waited, and waited, and waited. She had been sitting across from her ex-boyfriend for the past ten minutes, waiting for some sort of explanation. She had agreed to speak to him after he ran down the hallway shouting her name like a battle cry. The flabbergasted look on his face was satisfying.

But now that they were here, just sitting in the common room staring at each other, Emmeline felt completely dissatisfied. Mary had made everything sound so urgent.

"Thanks for, er, sitting with me," Robert stated. He wouldn't even look her in the eyes.

"Yes, sitting is positively lovely."

Robert read her sarcasm and rubbed his forehead. "I must be the last person on the planet you want to speak to."

"You and You-Know-Who are neck-and-neck," she said, crossing her arms. Patience was not her strong point.

"Oh, come on, Em," he insisted. "I'm trying here."

"And I'm waiting," Emmeline countered hotly. "I'm trying my very hardest to not walk out on you, and you're just trying to make small talk."

Robert, already on his way towards frustration with this girl, rubbed his temples and said, "I was trying to utilize subtlety."

"We are far past subtlety."

Robert knew this to be true. So, he took a deep breath and said, "My parents have set up an arranged marriage for me."

Emmeline tapped her foot, waiting for the punchline. When she realized there was none, she exhaled sharply. "Okay, let's go back to subtlety."

"They set up with Lucinda Talkalot."

"Oh, I think I'm going to vomit."

"And, they're very adamant about it. They think it'll appease my mother's side of the family, but I know it won't. The Malfoys want to keep the family line pure and view my mum as a traitor. I didn't know what else to do…"

Emmeline took a deep breath. She knew that Robert came from a tolerant wizarding family, but also that his mum, Amara, was raised by greedy supremacists. Both his parents who seemed like lovely people and seemed to enjoy Emmeline a lot. Now, she was re-evaluating her ideas.

"When do you walk down the aisle?" Emmeline asked sourly. She was a creature of emotion.

Robert sighed, "I don't intend to."

Emmeline raised her brow. "Oh?"

"I don't hate Lucy, but she's a prat. Entirely selfish and a downright snob. I couldn't marry her ever," he explained as if it were obvious.

Although Emmeline knew it was rather nasty of her, she had admit that hearing those criticisms were music to her ears. "Have you told your parents your thoughts on Talkalot?" She asked, trying to appear cool.

Robert nodded, "Yeah. I have. I told them I was far too in love with someone else to marry anyone."

Emmeline's heart began beating wildly. She couldn't control it, and it must've sounded like a rock concert in her chest.

Boldly, Robert stood up and took the sit next to her. Normally Emmeline would've protested, because such intimacy was only allowed between she _and_ her boyfriend. Robert was still her ex, but she couldn't deny that she missed his closeness.

He took Emmeline's hand into his and said softly, almost like a secret, "I love you, Em. I always have."

"Rob…" She murmured.

"I should've told you about my parents' arrangement with the Talkalots, but I was scared. And that's no excuse. I just didn't want you to run from me."

Robert Vance was a shy person, and rarely showed too many of his feelings at once. For him to be so candid with her, Emmeline knew that he meant it.

"I want to be with you. I'm sorry if I ever made you doubt that," he added, kissing her hand.

Emmeline smiled. She put a hand on his cheek and said, "Sorry my jealousy got the better of me. The fact that I lost my visions for a while and the first one I got back was true about Dorcas really made me believe in them wholeheartedly. I should've talked to you about what I saw between you and Talkalot." Her voice got a bit choked up, as if a lump suddenly appeared in her throat.

"Don't be," Robert insisted. He kissed her forehead before leaning his own against hers. "I love you, Emmeline Kim."

"I love you, stupid Robert Vance," she said, giggling. He kissed her tenderly, and it felt as if every issue in her life disappeared. She was back with her boyfriend, as the way they ought to be. For once, Emmeline Kim wasn't worrying about the future.

* * *

 **March 11** **th** **, 1977**

On Friday evening, all the sixth years gathered in the Great Hall. It would be their first Apparation class of the year, and many of the students were excited to learn this skill. Apparation meant speedy travel in comparison to broomsticks and floo powder, but really, it meant that they were soon to be legal adults in the eyes of the magical world.

Lily, Marlene, Mary, and Dorcas sat together while listening to Emmeline Kim forecast their horoscopes for the month.

"It says that this is a month of change for you, Libra Marlene. Perhaps its referring to your bet with Sirius?" Emmeline read from _Witch Weekly._ She raised her brows sleazily.

"Sod off," Marlene grumbled as she bit her nails.

"Or the fact that you're brother is going to be our professor," smirked Mary.

"Okay, perhaps I am going through a tipsy-turvy month," Marlene said defiantly. "That doesn't mean the stars have it aligned for all the people born in late September, aye?"

"Or maybe it does," shrugged Emmeline.

Marlene made an irritated noise as the girls laughed. They were busy doing normal adolescent nonsense, while Lily Evans was contemplating different … adolescent nonsense. Although she appeared to be paying attention to her friends, she was actually more focused on a group on the other side of the Hall.

The Marauders sat together casually. Remus, Sirius, and Peter were talking while James was fiddling with his snitch. It looked like a regular old scene, one that she had observed several times before, but today, she noticed that James had on an unusually dull face on. He was concentrating on the snitch with such intensity that she swore it was going to blow up. She had half a mind to go over and ask him what was wrong.

Well, she knew what was wrong. Lily had snogged him while he was still dating Camilla. He was probably contemplating the meaning of life, or congratulating himself on the feat. She was very curious as to what was going on in his brain since they hadn't spoken since their lips were stuck together behind a bloody tapestry.

Her pride stepped in and made her stay seated. Lily hated doing this to herself. Everyone was right about her relationship with James, that it was all her fault. She was the one to knock down the line of dominoes. Sure, she could blame everyone in the castle, but at the end of the day, Lily Evans was a clever witch. She knew it was on her and nobody else. She let out a tired sigh.

"If it's any consolation," Dorcas said, sitting cross legged next to Lily, "he thinks about you too."

Lily jumped. She was still getting used to her friend with impaired ligilmens. Once her breathing settled, she looked to Dorcas before looking back at James. "You must think that I'm a slag. I must've fucked everything up."

"Fucked what up?" Dorcas asked.

 _His relationship with Camilla,_ Lily thought. _I heard about the break-up rumors. You must have too._

Dorcas shrugged, "I heard about them too. But, I also think that no matter the reason, it's a lot to put someone else's break-up on yourself."

The ginger rubbed her forehead. "I was so… _messy_ about all of this. You must think I'm a slag.," she whined.

"Lily, you're talking to the girl who made out with her professor," chuckled Dorcas.

Lily had to laugh at that one, but she was still angry. For some reason.

"It's reasonable to be upset," The Slytherin encouraged. "I mean, it seems like you're in the dark and curious. Also, Lily, you're just seventeen. This is the time of utter mess."

Lily nodded, "This is true." Despite her friend's honesty, she didn't know how much it helped.

Luckily, she didn't have much more time to waste thinking about it. The entrance doors opened with a bang, and all the students stood at attention for their Apparition professor.

"Smashing," Marlene and Dorcas grumbled at the same time, just as Max McKinnon walked in.

A few girls giggled as the young professor walked in to greet his students. Max McKinnon was a handsome man and had an air of effortlessness. He wore simple dark trousers and a white button-down shirt. He bowed his head and gave a wave to Marlene and then Dorcas. Several students noticed that, including Remus Lupin. To say that he was pleased would've been generous.

"Hello, students," McKinnon said as he stood with his hands in his pocket. "As many of you may know, I am Max McKinnon. For a brief introduction, I am a Hogwarts alum myself. I do a lot of traveling and work here and there, but for the time being I needed to find a place to settle. So, when Dumbledore reached out to me, I was more than happy to oblige returning to this castle. I even recognize some of you lot from when I was seventh year myself." He gave a wink, which caused a swoon from several of the female students.

"Now, he's a craddle-robber," grumbled Remus, with his hands over his chest.

"I love petty Remus," sighed Sirius. "He's one of my favorites."

"To begin," said McKinnon, clapping his hands together, "does anyone _not_ know what it means to apparate?"

No one raised a hand.

"Perfect, we're all ahead of the game. Now, the Ministry has a very clear-cut cirricculum on how to teach apparition. It's a fine art with many rules and regulations. They want me to teach you the three D's."

Sirius made an impolite laughing noise, but immediately shut it down when everyone turned to look at him.

"Mr. Black?" smiled McKinnon. "Would you care to share the three D's with us?"

The young Gryffindor simply shook his head. "I do that in private company, thank you," he said.

A few students laughed, including Lily. She tried not because Marlene was already rolling her eyes. Lily noticed that Sirius' remark also made James laugh a little too. It was nice, just as nice as the one he gave her before the began hooking up.

"Well, does anyone know what the three D's are?" asked McKinnon, trying to move along the conversation.

Ravenclaw Xavier Lovegood raised his hand. "Destination, Determination…" He couldn't finish, but earned a respectable nod from the professor.

"Good try, you got two," said McKinnon, pacing. "Five points to Ravenclaw."

Xavier Lovegood was rather pleased with himself, and looked hopefully to Lucinda Talkalot. The blond ignored the platinum blond because she was more focused on Robert Vance, who was with his friends staying close by to Emmeline and her friends.

Secondary Education was a shitshow of a place.

"Either way," McKinnon said, waving off the idea of the Three D's, "it's a very minimalist view of apparition. To apparate, one needs, yes, determination. But more than that! What else do you think a wizard or witch needs to utilize in order to apparate?"

"A genetic disposition for it!" Evan Rosier called out, earning snickers from the Slytherin crowd. Other members of the crowd, made a disgusted noise.

"Fat-headed bigot," Lily said, loud enough for the people around to her hear. She and Marlene almost pulled out their wands

"No, definitely not that," said the Professor. He gave Rosier an unamused look before saying, "Ten points from Slytherin."

"What?!" shouted Mariah Avery.

"That's not fair," agreed Alec Mulciber.

"Oh, yes it is," Dorcas countered haughtily.

Professor McKinnon cleared his throat. "In my classroom, I will not tolerate students blatant racist remarks. If that's how you are going to speak around me, you will see consequences for it."

"My father will hear about this!" Evan Rosier shouted.

"If I continue to hear anymore from you, Mr. Rosier, I will send you right on up to see the Headmaster. Am I clear?" There was a sternest to the Professor's tone that immediately made the Slytherin crowd quiet.

Remus, who was no fan of this man, even had to commend him for his grit. Not many professors stood up to children from rich pure-blood families with dangerous ties.

Marlene let out a low whistle. She beat her chest and murmured to her friends, "That's my big brother."

"Now, can someone tell me," said Max McKinnon, closing his eyes, "what I am looking for. To beat the speed of light, what does a wizard or witch need to make it to their destination?"

"A good map," suggested James, garnering laughter.

"No, James."

"A clear mind," offered Ravenclaw prefect Twyla Schwartz.

"Close, close."

"Vision," Remus called out.

Professor McKinnon clapped his hands together. "Well done, Mr. Lupin," he said. "Vision. Not only do you need to know where you are going, but you need to envision it. Think of all the details of that place using your five senses. I don't need to teach you what those are, right?"

Most of the students laughed at the Professor as he walked down from the pedestal. He set up a long piece of rope by the students and another one at the entrance. Suddenly, the professor poofed away and miraculously re-appeared in front of the other rope. Some students had never seen appation before and gasped.

"Isn't Hogwarts an apparation-free zone?" Mary asked, concerned.

"Observant, Miss MacDonald," McKinnon nodded, approvingly. "For these weekly lessons, the non-apparation charm placed on the castle will be lifted. Today, we will try to do a simple apparation. From there to here."

Another round of gasps. "But, we haven't learned any theory, Professor," said Peter Pettigrew. "Won't we be splinched?"

Professor McKinnon chuckled, a chuckle that James and Marlene had known too well. It was the one that James used from time-to-time, a reckless breathy chuckle.

"Sometimes, Mr. Pettigrew, you just have to jump right into it. Life doesn't always provide theory. Sometimes you just have to try it on your own."

Peter blushed, but enjoyed that statement.

"So, line up."

The students skittered to form a semi-straight line. The first one in line was naturally Marlene McKinnon.

"Miss McKinnon, pleasure to see your enthusiasm," the elder McKinnon smiled.

"Enthusiasm is my speciality," Marlene said haughtily. She narrowed her eyes on the other rope. She took a deep breath before poofing away.

"She's going to be splinched, for sure," James grumbled to Sirius. His cousin was just as cocksure as he was.

"As long as it doesn't affect her ample behind, I am content," shrugged Sirius.

James perked up and looked behind him. "What'd you say?"

Sirius, luckily, had no time to answer because Marlene appeared at the other side. She earned a round of applause, from her brother included, but she had a curl singeing, as if it had been on fire.

Marlene made an irritated noise.

"It'll just be a dead end, Love," her brother called out. "Next, Miss Talkalot."

As each student tried their hardest, no one came out without a splinch. Peter ended up with half of his hair gone while Robert Vance ended up with a large wound on his arm. However, Karma really took the cake when Evan Rosier somehow ended up on the chandelier. The professor had to gently levitate him down.

The only ones to do the small task perfectly were Dorcas Meadowes, Sirius Black, Emmeline Kim, and Gregory Mumps. The last on the line was Severus Snape, and by this time, students were ready to go. It was nearly nine-thirty.

"All right, last one, Mr. Snape," Professor McKinnon said with a nod.

As if switching on a light, Snape apparated away and re-appeared within seconds. He landed on top of the rope, balancing himself like it was nothing.

Professor McKinnon nodded and clapped slowly for the student. "Someone took the task literally, I like that. Five points to Slytherin."

Marlene let out grumble to Lily, "just when I thought he would be cool."

"He has to be fair," explained Lily. "He's a professor."

The blond rolled her eyes. "Whatever."

Lily re-concentrated on Severus, whom liked mighty pleased with himself. There was something new to him that she hadn't noticed until now. Maybe it was the way he stood or held his head, but he sure looked… arrogant.

"All right, everyone, well done, I will see you here again next tuesday. Please read chapter 2 and 3 from the _Apparate Anywhere_ book. Please take one. Good Night," said Professor McKinnon.

Before leaving the Hall, McKinnon stopped in front of his sister, Lily, and Dorcas. Emmeline had gone off with Robert for some much needed alone time, while Mary went off to find Caradoc.

"See, that wasn't so bad?" Max smirked. "Was it?"

"No, it was great," Lily smiled. "I prefer practical methods of teaching."

"You did quite well, Lily. You were very close, pick it up in no time," McKinnon said reassuringly. He looked to Dorcas and said, "I'll see you Thursday evening, correct?"

Dorcas nodded, "See you then, Professor."

Marlene looked positively flabbergasted and began moving her mouth like a fish out of water. Before she could grasp onto her words, her brother kissed the top of her head. "Good Night, Marley. Let's have tea soon," he said before walking off and out of the Hall.

"Let's have tea soon?" Marlene repeated. She snorted. "He's a prat. And why're you two meeting? Are you shagging my brother?"

Lily tried not to make a scene by gasping for air.

"No, Marlene," Dorcas said firmly. "He's teaching me occulmency."

"Occulmency? Why do you need to know that?"

"I'll explain later, just not right here, okay?" Dorcas said, herding her friends in the direction of the textbooks.

The girls were some of the last to line-up. Marlene and Dorcas got theirs quickly, while Lily had to reach out to the last one. At the same time, another hand appeared.

Lily looked up and saw that James had placed his hand on the same one. They both retracted their hands immediately.

"Sorry," she stated, quickly.

She was about to reach for the one beside it, but James offered her the one she had originally touched. "Here," James said. His voice was surprisingly calm and soothing. "It has better binding."

Lily wished for Dorcas' telepathic skills, wondering why he was so tame right now. Or, how he appeared to be.

"Thank you," she murmured quietly as she took the book into her hands.

"No problem," James nodded. He gave her a slight, yet tense smile. "I'll see you later."

Lily was fascinated by this prospect, but before she could add to it, James had walked off. He left her rather conflicted, aching for consolation. Although it pissed her off, in a way, it was finally James' turn to walk out on Lily Evans.

* * *

Severus walked in the Slytherin common room feeling mighty proud of himself. Not only did he get five marks back for his House, but he did better than James Potter on the first apparation evaluation. Yes, Severus was that kind of bitter.

He was one of the last ones in, right after Dorcas Meadowes. She gave him a bored look before heading towards the girl's dormitory. She never really regarded him much, and vice versa. Besides being the child of Mason Nagut, Severus could not see the Dark Lord's interest in the girl. Many Hogwarts males hyped up the brunette, and although, she was fit, Severus was not so interested.

Severus fervently hoped that the Dark Lord had more compelling interests in the barely legal witch than just her subpar looks.

Not many other Slytherin were up as Severus made his way into the kitchen for a spot of tea. He enjoyed the solitude and set the kettle to boil. Just as he lit the fire, Mariah Avery joined him in the kitchen.

"You did very good at today's class," she commended, although it did not sound like a compliment.

"Your praise means the world," he said dryly. "What do you want?"

Mariah smiled devilishly. The girl always had an agenda. "It's not what I want, Severus. It's what _he_ wants."

Severus gave her an appraising look. Mariah often reminded him of Bellatrix Black, an actual obsessive psychotic.

"And what does _he_ want now?" Severus asked, just as the kettle began to sing. He poured the steaming into a cup slowly. "I've been under the impression that the Dark Lord has been taking matters into his own hands when it comes to _her._ "

"Oh, yes," nodded Mariah. She blew on his steaming cup for him, immediately making his stomach turn in nasty ways. She looked up to him with her big round eyes. "But, he can't do it alone this time. It's harder since Dumbledore has his eyes on her all the time."

"I thought he was going after Meadowes on a more mental level," Severus murmured, snatching his tea cup away from Mariah.

"The Dark Lord likes to be thorough, you know this," Mariah explained as if it were perfectly clear. Lord Voldemort was far from perfectly clear. "He wants to be sure to end her before more word gets out. He doesn't want to loose followers."

"How do you know all this anyway?"

"Parkinson."

"Compelling pillow talk material?"

"Naturally."

Severus rubbed the bridge of his large nose. He did not need to know that. Trying to win an argument with Mariah Avery was like trying to convince a rock it had feelings. But, Severus did want to know all of this information actually, but not here. They definitely shouldn't be having this conversation here since Dorcas was only rooms away, and now that her ligilmens wall was supposedly down, who knew how she could hear or not hear.

So, he took a step closer to Mariah and gave her a final look. He asked in a short voice, "What does _he_ need from me?"

Mariah smiled. If a cat could smile after catching its mouse, she would look like that. " _He_ wants to know everything you know about the Shrieking Shack."

Severus blinked a few times before sipping his tea. Where to begin?

* * *

 _A/N - To all of the Henley Haters, I hope you feel content. If you have anything to say, please drop a review. It always means the world to me. If not, favorite or following would also be great. Hope you enjoyed!_

 _Rose_


	29. Chapter 29

**March 13th, 1977**

"You lied… to me?"

James Potter rubbed the back of his neck and let out a tired sigh. He walked alongside his best mates on the way to the Quidditch Pitch. Although he was a particularly decent liar, James found it most difficult to lie to his mates. It was probably due to the fact that they were also fantastic fibbers. Most of the time, he lied with them, not at them.

The Quidditch Captain looked down at his chubby friend whose watery eyes were particularly moister than usual. He gulped before saying, "It wasn't lying, Peter. I swear, I wanted to tell you. I was just… nervous."

"Or omitting, for the sake of another potential snog with Lily," Remus Lupin clarified blandly. The prefect was surprised by the details of James' second snog with his co-prefect, but remained neutral as possible. He didn't want to over-excite James and distract him from their upcoming match.

James looked as if he was about to refute his friend's observation, but nothing came out except "this is true."

Peter crossed his arms chest and pouted like a petulant toddler. He felt oddly left out.

"And Camilla saw you two snog behind the tapestry?" asked Sirius Black.

Peter grimaced at the thought. "Seems itchy," he grumbled, unconsciously scratching his arms.

"It was actually rather soft," James revealed. "And no, Camilla didn't catch us. Your _experiment_ with Allen distracted Evans and she ran off."

Sirius whistled. "Mate, perhaps we need to work on your snogging skills because this now twice that the bird has run away from you."

"She winked at me afterwards," James countered.

Sirius shrugged. "Maybe you passed her a twitching hex."

The tallest Marauder did his best to hold back from punching his best mate in the nose. His more rational side reminded me him that the Gryffindors needed him – he was their stronger beater. "Either way, I think Evans enjoys snogging me. It's just that, er, we're complicated."

"Yeah," Remus agreed with a scoff, "years worth of complications. And speaking of complicated, why were you giddier than a goblin with gold walking into Potions on Friday, Sirius?"

Sirius pursed his lips but chose to remain silent. This quietness was a dead give away for something juicy.

James raised a brow. "Spill it, Sirius," he demanded.

"Can't a bloke just be happy to mix liquids?"

"Only if it means you get to mix your liquids with a bird's," smirked Peter.

James patted Peter on the shoulder, like a proud father. "That was rather crude, Pete. I like that." The small one beamed brighter than a boy on Christmas day.

"Fine," Sirius said shortly, "I'm going on a date."

James, Peter, and Remus both stopped walking. This was a rather long walk to the Pitch, if one could not tell. These gentlemen truly enjoyed a good gossip session.

"A date?" Remus repeated in a low voice, as if he had spoken the Dark Lord's name.

"Yes, a date, you prick," Sirius spat.

"Like where you eat food?" Peter asked.

"And talk _before_ shagging?" added James.

Sirius let out an irritated groan and walked ahead. "Yes! A fucking date, you arseholes."

"With whom?" James asked, catching up to his mate. This information was like a comet hurling down towards Earth. Sirius Black did not date, and everyone knew that. Shit, even the most hopeful birds knew this. In the past five years, Sirius never expressed interest in conversing with a girl unless it ended with a consensual yes to sex. James just had to know.

Sirius froze. He thought of many ways he would explain his bet to James and would tweak his words to make sure that no one would end up with bruises. However, all hope seemed truly lost. Maybe Sirius could dodge his taller friend.

"Marlene," Sirius said after a moment.

Beat.

Another Beat.

And another one.

"Marlene McKinnon?" Peter repeated.

"Do we know any other Marlene?" Sirius asked impatiently.

"I was hoping," the small one murmured, "for your sake."

Sirius looked at James, who looked like he had been hit in the face with a buldger. He bit his lip before saying, "Oh, come on, James. It's just a date."

"But you don't date," James said simply.

"I want to try."

"Bullocks."

"No, seriously."

"Punny."

Sirius rubbed the bridge of his nose. "I've come to some sort of bet with Marlene."

Peter began to bite his nails while Remus tried to hold back his laughter, because this was _not_ a funny matter.

"A bet?" James asked incredulously, throwing his arms in the air. "What is she? A prize at a casino?"

"No, of course not! Merlin, James. I'm into her."

James let out a long laugh of disbelief. He ran a hand through his hair and tugged at the roots a bit. Before he could find some sort of counter argument or insult, his rage accumulation faltered a bit when a dark haired girl approached them.

"Hi," Dorcas Meadowes said awkwardly, putting up a hand. Her eyes darted to each of the boys before asking, "Am I interrupting something?"

"No, no," Sirius said quickly, bringing the small Slytherin girl closer to him. He maneuvered her body so that she stood in between James and himself. "You came right on time, as usual."

Dorcas glared at him as he smiled, pathetically. Sirius coughed into a closed fist. "So, Meadowes, how can we help you?"

"I was wondering if I could speak to Remus, just for a moment," Dorcas said. She didn't even look at the boy. "I don't want to interrupt an important discussion though-"

"No, please do," smiled Sirius. He clapped his hands together before moving past his two calm friends and a glaring James. "I'll see you lot in a bit. I'm pretty sure I hear my mum calling for me. Oh, yes, Walburga! Coming!" Sirius ran off in a blink of an eye.

"I'm going to murder him," James said, stalking off after him.

Peter was not far behind, leaving Remus and Dorcas alone. For the first time in weeks. The two stared at the ground for a long moment, and then finally looked at each other in the eyes. She had been avoiding his gaze for what felt like forever, so when Remus finally got a glance into those cool blue eyes, he felt a wave of relief rush through his body.

"So," Dorcas started, owning the awkwardness as she shifted her weight from her toes to her heels, "have you been all right?"

Remus tried casualness, but he was never particularly good at it. He shrugged, "Yeah, I okay. Crap. I mean I _am_ okay." He wanted to punch himself in the face.

At least it lightened up the mood. Dorcas smiled a bit and let out a breathy chuckle. She nodded, "I'm glad."

"And yourself?" Remus asked.

"Yeah, coping. Trying to not eavesdrop on every conversation possible."

"Must be noisy in there," he said, referring to her head but pointing to his own.

"Quite. I can't help but hear voices. Including yours."

There was an intentional tone to her voice that made Remus stand up a little straighter. He knew that Dorcas was referring to the endless amount of internal apologies he tried to relay. Even though it was embarrassing and he'd never admit it to his friends, Remus was definitely not sorry for bombarding her with those sentiments.

"I know you are sorry," Dorcas revealed, obviously in tune with his mind.

"I am sorry," he said. It felt good to say aloud and have her listen.

Dorcas nodded. She began patting her hair flat, feeling a bit twitchy herself. "It's just that… I needed time to forgive you. It was hard for me to understand that you weren't doing it out of spite, but out of… care."

Remus blinked a few times, shocked at that she would even think he would try to hurt her. "I only wanted to protect you… you know, from all the shite you would've gotten from the Usupers," he explained. "I know that you can protect yourself, clearly, but… still."

Dorcas reached out to him and put her hand on his shoulder. "I know that," she said with a smile. She tapped the right side of his temple and said, "You couldn't shut up about it."

Remus smirked, trying not to think about her warm touch. "I'm glad you're listening."

She blushed faintly and immediately pulled her hand back. She bit the inside of her cheek before adding, "But don't lie to me again."

"Don't think I could if I even wanted to," Remus shrugged.

Dorcas gave him an appraising sort of look. She enjoyed his company because it felt like coming home, feeling finally at peace.

* * *

"They look sorted," noted Marlene McKinnon as she peered over her round sunglasses.

Lily Evans was unsure of what her friend was talking about, but caught on when she saw Remus and Dorcas enter the non-competitng stands together. Although Remus would normally join the Gryffindor side, it seemed he was more interesting in staying by Dorcas' side. They were laughing about something, and both of the Debbie Downers actually appeared content.

"They're sweet," Lily smiled. "It would be nice if they started dating."

"Have you ever heard of either one of them dating?" asked Marlene. "Remus is the king of Hit-it-and-Quit, but the nice way. And who knows about Dorcas."

Lily made a face. "People change," she said with an air of defiance.

The blond raised her brow and leaned forward. She sniffed Lily several times, before she was eventually swatted away.

"What're you doing?" Lily glared, crossing her arms.

"I smell bullshite coming."

"Oh, sod off, McKinnon."

"You have some dirty secrets in that hair of yours, Lily Evans. Now, share," Marlene demanded.

"I have no secrets and nothing dirty on me, thank you very much," She said irritably.

"Who did you snog?" Marlene asked next.

Lily turned a fire red, almost the color of all of her freckles. Her eyes widened as she tried not to look into Marlene's piercing eyes.

"Holy Merlin, you did snog someone," Marlene laughed wildly, clapping her hands together. "Damn, I thought I was just going to the extreme to make you upset. Ha! So, was it my cousin again or another poor soul?"

"Did he tell you?" Lily asked quickly, biting her lip.

Marlene smirked because this was as easy as singing her chromatic scales. "Oh, Lily dear, all you need is 10% of intuition to put two-and-two together. Also, I've been waiting for you two to get nasty for years now."

"Get nasty," Lily repeated, repulsed. "We are not doing that."

"Pardon me if you don't think swapping saliva and taste buds isn't nasty," Marlene apologized, "but either way, tell me about it!"

"He's your cousin," groaned Lily. "Isn't that a bit strange for you?"

"James told me the gory bits and details of his first wank and shag. Trust me, I can handle him snogging my best mate."

Lily rubbed the bridge of her nose. Luckily, she did not have time to share the post-potions episode because Caradoc Dearborn's voice boomed throughout the Pitch. He welcomed the students to another match, Gryffindor v. Hufflepuff.

"NOW, LET'S MEET OUR CAPTAINS! HUFFLEPUFF'S SCARLETT CARBON!"

Scarlett Carbon was a strong-looking seventh year with dark skin and short afro appeared from the Hufflepuff tent. She zoomed around in sharp quick movements, showing off her skills as a seeker. The Hufflepuff section cheered loudly for the well-loved captain.

"AND NOW, THE BIG-HEAD HIMSELF, GRYFFINDOR'S JAMES POTTER!"

"Jeez, Dearborn," chuckled Marlene. "Why don't you say how you really feel?"

Normally, James performed his most outlandish trick for the audience during Captain roll-call. Today, he just flew out with a stern look on his face. He flew out faster than Carbon had and waited for the rest of his team to enter in behind, on Dearborn's call.

Lily noted his tense shoulders and could even see the mean glare in his eyes. She wondered what got him so riled. She knew that he took the sport seriously, but he always had fun while flying. His enjoyment was part of the reason why it was so compelling to watch James fly.

"He looks constipated," Marlene grumbled.

"I wonder what happened," Lily added.

"It best not get the better of him," Marlene huffed. "I bet Emmeline my favorite sapphire nail polish on this game."

* * *

Gryffindor lost by 5 points.

As the Gryffindor students piled back into the locker room, the mood was dark as if a gray cloud hung above all of them. It wasn't because they lost as much as because they all played like rookies. The only reason why they lost merely by five points was due to the fact that Esmerelda Smith, their seeker, caught the snitch by falling off of her broom. Pure luck.

Some of them waited for James to give a speech at the end, about how they would do better next time with harder practice. But, the Captain simply walked back towards his locker.

"Should we talk to him? See if he's okay?" Esmerelda asked Dirk Cresswell.

Dirk wanted to say let the fucker stew in his own misery. James played the worst today, plus he fucked over Camilla. Luckily, he didn't have a chance because Sirius Black approached them.

He said, "Don't get involved. For your own good." It was rare for Sirius to act, well, _serious._ The two underclassmen decided to take the advice, especially since they heard a loud metal bang a few aisles down. "See what I mean?" Sirius murmured quietly before retreating to his own locker.

Down by the loud metal bang, James Potter rubbed his knuckles softly. He cursed quietly under his breath, trying to his best to remain calm and keep his emotions in check. Just for his teammates.

But, James was never really good at emotional compartmentalization. So, he sat and stewed in his own misery, guilt, and angst for fifteen minutes when all the Gryffindors left. He considered punching the lockers again, considering his left hand now. Or should he just stick to one bloody hand instead of two sore ones?

James clenched his fist again, almost enjoying the pulsating sensation in his hand. Another right hook seemed quite appealing. He didn't stop the appeal either. This time he let out a loud litany of curses though as he shook his hand. It was bleeding now.

The Captain was so focused on his hand and getting out everything on the inside that he didn't hear footsteps approach. He reached for the hem of his shirt, deciding it was finally time for a shower. He winced since his back and shoulders were sore too. The poor boy was just falling apart.

"James?"

He looked up and narrowed his eyes. "What're you doing back here?" James should've been more surprised to see Lily Evans in his locker room, but right now, he was just too bloody frustrated with everything in the world.

Lily gulped, flustered by the question. She scratched her head and said, "I wanted to see you."

James scoffed. If the ginger had come any other time, he would've been jumping for joy. Now, he felt like punching the locker again. "I'm not in the mood today, Evans."

"Yeah, seems like you're not in the mood for anything," she mumbled. Before James could retort, Lily added, with wide eyes and a slack jaw, "are you bleeding?"

James peered down at his hand. "It's nothing," he said quickly before opening his own locker to grab his towel.

Lily observed him intently. She glared at him. "You could've conjured a punching bag, I reckon."

"And you could've walked away from coming to today's match, like you normally do with everything else concerning me."

She blinked. "Excuse me?"

James slammed his locker door shut. "I already told you that I'm not in the mood today. I'm really not," he barked. "First, Camilla broke up with me, and now my Keeper wants to slit my throat because Dirk refuses to believe that it was _her,_ not me, that initiated the much needed end. Second, I just found out that my Beater is taking my cousin out to a date-"

"Oh, dear."

"Sirius doesn't date. Marlene doesn't date. It sounds like a rom-com apocalypse waiting to happen. For me, it sounds like my best mate playing football with my cousin's heart. Or, it's my cousin who is going to literally tear out and eat his heart for a snack."

"James…" Lily whispered quietly, noting his voice rising.

"And then, lastly, there's you!" James shouted, pointing a swollen finger at Lily. He pointed at her like they were in court, accusing her of murder or some other heinous crime.

Lily, no matter how much she wanted to yell back, decided to remain quiet. It seemed like he needed this… _release._

"You- you- you!" He stammered on his words, too frustrated to get anything out. The pressure inside him built like a volcano about to erupt.

"Me," Lily nodded awkwardly. "Yep, I'm right here."

"You charming, arse-kissing, beautiful, snarky, clever, demonic bitch!"

Lily opened her mouth and then immediately shut it. She was genuinely conflicted, wondering if she should feel offended or praised.

"You play me like I'm a game of exploding snap, waiting for me to pop. You snog me and run faster than a bloody snitch. And I'm just tired of it. And as a result of all three things, I played like shit today. Actual shit. I let the fucking quaffle drop six different times. SIX! I must be fucking cursed or something. Snape was probably having a field day… or he was the one who cursed me."

"Okay, now we're getting dramatic," Lily grumbled.

"No, it was definitely seven," James said, ignoring Lily's comment. "Seventh time was when I looked at you in the stands."

The air between the two warmed up and thickened, just in a matter of moments. Lily found herself feeling hotter and began pulling at her scarf.

"You were staring right at me," James went on, finally looking at her now in this moment. "And then you snapped your head away, like you always do. You refuse to acknowledge anything we've ever done, and I'm always standing here like an idiot. I'm not doing _this_ anymore. It just cost me a game-"

This was the third time Lily had done this: got James upset or riled up and then kissed him. She jogged, grabbed him by the face and kissed him hard on the lips. She stayed their for a moment before pulling back, still holding onto him as if he were her oxygen supply.

"I'm not running this time, and I'm sorry I did in the first place," Lily whispered. They were so close that James could feel her breaths. She added softly, "I won't again, I promise."

James closed his eyes. He knew better than that, to trust a girl who's played with him for so long now. But, she was right there, making promises to him. He couldn't pass up the chance.

"I'm holding you to that," James said evenly before grabbing her by the waist and pulling her in close.

They kissed like their lives depended on it. They tasted, explored, and held each other. James was having a hard time keeping his head straight as Lily pushed him against the lockers. It was even harder to comprehend that no one was going to interrupt them this time. They had all the time in the world.

James slid his hands to her waist and appreciated the quiet moan she released from her lips. He wanted to hear it again and again. His hands slid around to the front of her body and to the hem of her sweater. He had touched her once and was hellbent on doing it again. She was smooth and cool, like porcelain.

Much to his demise, Lily ripped her lips from James. She was panting for air, and it seemed like she generally didn't breathe while kissing. He had experienced her kiss once before and remembered this from last time under the tapestry. He found it rather adorable.

James slid a hand under her sweater and even her undershirt. He expected some kind of reaction, but truthfully, he expected to be pushed away again. Instead she leaned into him more, inviting him to go further. Lily also peppered his neck with warm kisses to his neck.

When James grabbed her breast, Lily let out a tiny whimper. And yes, he was going to remember that forever now. He pulled at the bottom of her sweater, and unfortunately, she had to release herself from his neck. She smirked.

"What?" James asked breathlessly.

Lily shrugged before pulling off her sweater, leaving her in a tight white undershirt. He could see her nipples peaking through. "Hope you don't mind hickies," she said simply.

"I'll live," James said before pulling her back.

He held her by the waist and hoisted her up. Like a natural, she wrapped her legs around his hips and planted her lips back to his. He carried her over to the bench and sat down with Lily Evans hovering over him like a goddamn angel.

This was time when James' inevitable hormones kicked in, and his erection began to grow. Something must've kicked in Lily too, or she noticed and got embarrassed. James freverently hoped that she wouldn't run off in fear or something. But, instead, she did the unthinkable.

Lily Evans was grinding on him. Her hips did this slight movement in slow circles, and it was making him harder than a bloody boulder. Now it was his turn to moan.

"Take this off," Lily demanded breathlessly as she leaned back and pulled at his shirt.

The Quidditch Captain obeyed without objection and pulled off his jersey. He didn't even think too much about his soreness, because right now, he'd do anything that she'd say.

Lily let a whistle, examining his well-sculpted shoulders and chest. Chasers needed good upper bodies for catching the quaffle mid-air, and a solid core to maintain balance on a broom while doing so. James had to admit that he enjoyed the facial expression she made.

But, he couldn't let her dwell too long before kissing her again. Her ran his hands through her silky hair, something he's always wanted to do. He also held her by the back of her neck as he began kissing down her jawline and neck. James nipped at her collarbone, eliciting a louder moan this time. Her hips jerked in reaction. Oh, James would be doing this again and again.

James decided to go further but watched her facial reactions for cues. He pressed a few light kisses to her tops of her breast, more ample than he had expected. When he sucked the top of her breast, Lily groaned, "James…"

There wasn't much else better than that sound.

Except the one of a door knocking.

"Do you think we ought to wait for them?" Peter asked after the fourth try of knocks. He looked to Dorcas, Marlene and Remus with concerned eyes. "Or should we go in? They fight a lot."

Dorcas raised an eyebrow at the small Gryffindor. She lit her cigarette while giving Marlene and Remus a look. "He serious?" She asked bluntly.

"He doesn't pick up on social cues easily," Marlene revealed gently.

"They're busy, Pete," Remus said, clapping his back. "Very busy."

Peter's eyes widened. Although he knew what his friends meant, Peter still had a hard time believing that only Lily and James sat inside the locker room. "You think…?" He asked quietly.

"No, Peter," Marlene said as she headed down the stairs with a beaming smile on her face. "We _know_."

* * *

 _A/N - Hopefully there aren't too many typos and whatnot. I wanted to get this up as fast as I could. Let me know what you think! Favorite, follow, or review. Anything would mean something :)_

XOXO

Rose


	30. Chapter 30

**Chapter 29**

 **March 16th, 1977**

"So you two are like a thing now?" Mary MacDonald asked as she set down her notebook.

Lily Evans popped her head up from the bubble bath. The five friends sat in the seventh floor girl's bathroom, chatting and pretending to do homework on Wednesday evening. Mostly they were interested in Lily's advancement with James Potter, and who could blame them? The ginger slicked her hair back and said, "No, Merlin no. Absolutely not."

"Yeah, Mary," Marlene McKinnon said boorishly, "I doubt anyone considers snogging a sign of marital commitment."

Mary made a face. "No one said anything about marriage," she grumbled quietly before returning to her note taking.

"But it wasn't just snogging," Emmeline Kim said, helping out her housemate. "I can see the hickies on your tits."

Lily instantly put her arms over her chest. She wasn't ashamed of them, because the process of receiving them was absolutely marvelous. But, she didn't want her friends staring either. Her mind drifted back to Sunday when James was so adamant about making her squirm on his lap. The way he bit her and then caressed the marks was addicting.

"Did you go past snogging?" Marlene asked, now with a peaked interest. When there was silence, Marlene screamed at the top of her lungs. The vocalist had quite the range.

"Merlin, Marls," grumbled Emmeline as she clamped her ears shut.

"You're going to break the glass," Mary chastised.

Dorcas Meadowes, whom had been peacefully resting, peeked one eye open and glared at her curly blond friend.

"I'm sorry," she said apathetically. "It's just that…" Marlene couldn't contain her giggling. "Did you and James get nasty?"

Lily made a repulsive noise. "Did we get nasty? Merlin, Marlene, he's your cousin."

The McKinnon glared at her friend and said in a lethal tone, "Answer the question, Evans."

Lily made an equally serious face. "No, we did _not_ get nasty."

"Ugh, boring," she commented as she began to inspect her cuticles.

"He a good kisser?" Dorcas asked, standing up. She slung her knapsack onto her shoulder and straightened out her clothing.

"I mean, he has to be," Emmeline answered, "if Lily chose willingly to snog him now three times."

Lily tried her best not to think too much about it, not wanting to get a whole other kind of wet. She instead looked to Dorcas and tilted her head. "Where are you off to?"

Dorcas had already turned her back on her friends. She looked over her shoulder and aimed for indifference. "Remus and I are studying together," she said.

Marlene tapped her fingers against each other and grinned devilishly. Before she could make a snippy comment, Dorcas beat her to the punch, "You need to reel in your gossip fetish."

"No fun," Marlene complained. She crossed her arms over her chest, looking like a neglected poodle.

"So, you and Remus are good again, like all the way?" Lily asked curiously. She had always been rooting for the friendship… with potential for so much more.

Dorcas thought about this for a moment. "As good as we can be," she clarified. "I'll see you lot tomorrow."

When Dorcas was fully out the door and out of hearing and telepathic reach, Marlene stated, "Merlin, I hope they shag soon."

In the hallway, Dorcas had heard Marlene's rude request but chose to keep going. She headed down the stairs in a daze, still rather tired from the day. NEWT classes were getting harder and so was sleep. Her sessions with Max were taking a toll on her headaches, but they were useful in the long run. Her nightmares were decreasing; instead of every night being tortured with memories, it was maybe every two nights. It may not seem like a success, but Dorcas would take anything at this rate.

As she made her way down the stairs, Dorcas decided that while working with Remus, she'd work on her Transfiguration essay on animagi. That needed to get done by tomorrow's 9am class.

Her concentration on homework immediately ceased when a sharp pang hit her head. It was blinding, so much that she dropped to her knees. She tried her best to contain a scream, but it was too hard. She whimpered as her mind began flashing. Dorcas didn't want to see her own memories; she had been doing so well.

But, it wasn't her own memories that flashed in the darks of her eyelids. It was something that she'd never seen before, like a horror show.

Somewhere far away in the country, a scraggly dark-haired man tottered into a crumbling cottage. He looked happy, or as happy as the man could be with his curled lips and gaunt face, until he walked into the cottage. It was empty, dusty, and a few vermin skittered away. In a fit of rage, the man shouted in an unknown language. He pulled out a fat long wand – looked more a club – and began smashing the remaining pieces of furniture to bits and pieces. He was alone and angry. He was so focused on those two emotions that he didn't notice a ring and locket on the corner counter.

 _"_ _Dorcas!"_

Dorcas' eyes flew open, and she was met with Remus Lupin crouching above her. His face was mere centimeters from hers, and he looked as if he had seen a ghost. And he had, or it appeared to be since Nearly Headless Nick floated behind Remus. Even the ghost seemed worried as he bit his nails.

"Hey, there," Remus said gently, noticing her steadier breath.

"What happened?" She asked quietly. Her attention moved onto the bystanders, watching her as if she had just psychotic break. Some were nervous younger students, while others were disapproving peers. Perhaps she did have a break.

"I should be the one asking you," said Remus. "Can you stand?"

The Gryffindor put out his hands, but Dorcas wasn't interested in pity. Not in front of others, at least. She tried to get up, but faltered. Remus grabbed her arm and helped Dorcas steady herself.

"Let's get you away from vultures, aye?" Remus offered, helping her walk towards a further bench.

After a moment, Dorcas shook him off. "I'm good," she grumbled as she rubbed her temples. She plopped down on the bench and let out a long sigh. "What did you see?" She asked with her eyes closed.

"Well, Nearly Headless Nick was watching over in the Library since Madam Pince is out," Remus explained. "He heard you scream but warned us to wait. I didn't listen that well and found you at the same time."

Dorcas didn't like the hesitance in his voice. She bit her lip as she looked at him. "What was I doing?" She asked.

Remus didn't look at her or answer her, which pissed her off further. "Remus," Dorcas said in a short tone.

He rubbed a hand over his face and said quickly, "I don't know exactly. You screamed and then you went silent, as if you had been stupefied. But, you were also twitching."

"Twitching?" She repeated. "Bloody perfect. The school already thinks I'm mental as is. Now, I'm having seizures in the halls."

Remus blinked. "Was it a seizure? Should we go to Poppy?" He stood up right away.

"No, no, well, I don't think so," she murmured. She rubbed her forehead and said, "It was like my nightmares."

"So a day-mare?" It was a poor attempt at lightening the mood.

Dorcas simply said, "I guess."

"From Voldemort?"

"I think, but it's different this time. Normally when he enters my dreams, it's the same one. But, this time it was something else, something I've never seen before."

When Remus realized she wasn't going to continue, he asked, "Well?"

Dorcas took a deep breath. "An old man had a fit in a broken down cottage," she said. After a moment, she added, "I've never seen someone that angry, besides my mother."

Remus rubbed his chin. He looked down at Dorcas, who was breathing slowly and twiddling her thumbs. She looked as if she were about to explode any moment. "Do you think you should tell Dumbledore?" He asked.

"I don't know what he's going to do," she grumbled.

"Maybe he knows what it means?"

"Remus, I don't know if it's a memory or some hallucination he's using to torment me. Or if I'm just so fucked up that I'm beginning to shit for giggles."

"You're not fucked up."

Dorcas smiled, an earnest one, as she put her hand on his shoulder. "Remus, thank you for trying to be nice."

"C'mon, Dorcas. You're not fucked up."

"I'm the personification of fucked up."

"No, you have fucked up shit going on your life."

"Aren't they the same?"

"Are they?" Remus countered with a raised brow. This made the Slytherin quiet and finally stop shaking. "The cruelest man on the planet is currently implementing nightmares into your mind because he is under the impression that you're going to overthrow his totalitarian regime because your biological father was just as batshit and bigoted as he is. All of that is fucked up. Not you, Doe. No, you're perfect."

Dorcas could've kissed him, but was too tense to actually do it. Shit, it may have been cathartic to do it, but she held back the urge. Instead she just placed a hand over his. "Thank you, Remus."

Remus smiled, "What're friends for?"

* * *

 **March 19** **th** **, 1977**

It felt like spring that Saturday as the two Gryffindors walked down the path towards Hogsmeade. For years, they were just friends. Or friends of cousins and foster brothers? It was a platonic friendship, acquaintance-ship? Either way, now Sirius and Marlene were both wondering what the fuck to say to one another.

These two friends had never reached this point before. They were well-versed, witty, and charming teenagers who were known for their cheeky attitude. There should be at least one snarky remark made, but instead, there was nothing. Absolute silence surrounded them, and it was as quiet as Madam Pince's best dream.

The only noise that could be heard was Sirius soft clucking noise, pressing his tongue against the roof of his mouth. He had been doing it several times now, and after a particularly loud one, Marlene absolutely had enough.

"STOP IT, YOU SQUID!" She demanded shrilly at the top of her lungs. The girl even stomped her polished boot to the ground.

Sirius cocked an eyebrow. "Oh, we speak now?" He asked quietly.

Marlene glared. "Likewise," she grumbled. She regarded him carefully but decided not to say another word. She decided that silence was better than tempting Sirius's game plan. Marlene McKinnon refused to be the type to just let Sirius Black get the better of her, just because they were on a date.

"Well, you look lovely," Sirius said in an appreciative tone.

Marlene scoffed, "Don't hurt yourself, Black."

"Hurt myself?" He asked. He drank in her appearance like an alcoholic's first re-appearance with Scotch. "Darling, this is the view of my life," he smirked.

Marlene rolled her eyes. The poor boy was the most obvious version of cliché she'd ever met. She wasn't interested in slight compliments or teasing that qualifies as flirting. She wanted something more, because she had seen the way that Hogwarts boys worked. The school was so small that it was hard not to witness Sirius' re-runs of bird spotting. And, she refused to be just another notch under his figurative belt.

For fuck's sake, she was Marlene McKinnon.

Sirius pulled out a cigarette from his tin and offered one to Marlene. At first she thought against it since she had a vocal evaluation this week, but who was she kidding?

"Thanks," She said dully.

"No problem," Sirius said as he pulled out his lighter. He lit hers and then lit his own as they made it into the actual village of Hogsmeade. "So, no Madam Puddifoot's?" He reiterated.

"Definitely not," agreed Marlene. "I doubt they have a smoking section."

"Three Broomsticks? I know it's the bland option, but it's also the best option."

"This is true," agreed Marlene. She gave Sirius an appraising look and chuckled to herself.

"What?" Sirius asked, suddenly feeling more self-conscious.

"We're also going in to get a glimpse of Rosemerta, aren't we?" She asked, giving him a poke in the arm.

He immediately shook his head. It was as if he had been put on the stand at court. "No!" Sirius shouted, a bit too loudly. "I just thought that they had the best butterbeers… and a smoking session!"

"Oh, come now, Sirius. I know why guys like Rosemerta's. She is pretty fit."

"Yes, she is. But that's not why we're going."

"Trying to start a threesome? Is that a bigger prize for this bet?"

Sirius blinked. "I think I'd propose to you then," he said once he came back from his quick daydream.

Marlene couldn't even contain her laughter at that point. Sirius joined in. The laughter felt good, warming their bodies on this cool spring afternoon. They laughed so heartily that they couldn't see the townspeople watching them. The several clusters of Hogwarts students watched closely, because everyone knew that Marlene McKinnon was a maneater and Sirius Black was a ladykiller. So, they were wondering who was playing whom? And what would James Potter have to say about his best mate and cousin dating?

Marlene and Sirius laughed so hard that they didn't even notice the dark owl with a white beak soaring down towards them. They only noticed it when it landed on Sirius' head.

"Darwin?" He asked the bird. "What're you doing here?"

"You named your owl after that muggle scientist?" Marlene asked skeptically.

"Evolutionist," Sirius clarified. "My uncle had a strong appreciation for muggle sciences. That's why he named him."

Darwin plopped a letter into Sirius' hands before he began nipping around his pockets for possible treats.

Sirius felt his chest tighten as he examined the letter. There was no Black sigil or any signs of his uncle's stationary. He opened the letter slowly and with reluctance.

Even Marlene could note the unusual solemnness in Sirius' face. He suddenly looked thinner and like he had just seen a ghost or starved himself. She wanted to ask if he was all right, but clearly, he was not.

Sirius tore open the envelope with haste and unfolded the parchment. His eyes scanned the paper rapidly, and once he reached the end of the long letter, he exhaled deeply.

"Who's it from?" asked Marlene. Her voice became gentler, barely above a whisper.

"My uncle's lawyer," explained Sirius. He looked to Marlene as he stuffed the letter into his pocket. "I'm sorry, Love, but we're going to have to rain check. I need to get back to the castle."

"Why?" Marlene didn't want to admit that she felt quickly offended by this sudden cancelation. She decided to believe that the offense was caused by her desire to outplay Sirius, not because she didn't want to be alone.

"I need to pack," Sirius said. He was already walking backwards.

Marlene noted the firmness in his voice. There was a sense of finality in his tone that she hadn't heard before. "For?" She asked slowly.

"I'm going to a funeral. My uncle's funeral." And with that, Sirius turned around and walked back up the hill towards Hogwarts Castle.

* * *

 _A/N - My poor baby Sirius. I know, the inevitable time has come. Timing is always a bitch._

 _Please let me know what you think by favoriting, following, or reviewing. It does mean a lot to me, whether what you have to say is positive or negative!_

 _Rose_


	31. Chapter 31

**Chapter 31**

 **March 21st, 1977**

The flame in the fireplace crackled softly on Monday evening as a storm brewed outside. The wind slammed against the windows, and few cracks of thunder made students jump in the Gryffindor common room. However, James Potter sat perfectly still in an armchair; his focus was on the fire. He had been sitting there for about forty-five minutes, ignoring his Transfiguration textbook and instead worrying about his best mate.

Yesterday afternoon, Sirius Black stormed into the dorm and began packing a bag. James spoke only a handful of words to him since he found out about the Black-McKinnon bet. James admitted that he made a nasty remark about Sirius failing at dating life when Sirius entered the room. When the spectacled friend was met with quiet, James immediately asked what was wrong. Sirius didn't reply until he was finally done with his bag packing. He said simply, "Alphard died. I'll be back Tuesday," and left without another word.

Now, James felt like bullocks for several reasons. He felt guilty for treating Sirius like a vermin. He felt sad because he actually liked Alphard Black (the only truly decent Black besides Sirius). And, he felt irritated that Dumbledore wouldn't let James join Sirius. It was quite the range of emotions to deal with, and let's just say honestly, that James Potter was not used to experiencing such feelings all at once.

"Hey."

James didn't welcome the distraction. He was sorting his feelings that took the utmost concentration, so he did not reply to the feminine "hey."

"James?"

He glared up at the ginger standing beside him, but stopped when he saw the delicate expression on Lily Evan's face. She genuinely seemed concerned. But, James couldn't concentrate on her now. He needed to focus on sorting.

"Hi, Lily," he said softly, gazing back to the fireplace.

"What's wrong?" She asked. "You don't seem like yourself."

James ruffled his hair, not sure quite how to put his feelings into words: normal adolescent issues. As he configured his wording, Lily sat down on the arm of his cushioned chair and leaned back. She waited for him as if she had nothing better to do than listen to his complaints.

"Sirius' uncle died," James sighed.

"Oh, right," she murmured quietly. She looked down at her hands and added, "Marlene mentioned that. His uncle was the only decent one in his family I reckon?"

James nodded, "The rest of his family are full of blood supremacists and inbred ignoramuses. He's left with no one." His head dropped. "I should've been there for him. I should've snuck out this morning with the cloak and went with him to the funeral."

"Sirius wouldn't expect you to sneak out of Hogwarts for him."

"No, he wouldn't. But, I should've," he countered sourly. "He has no one left."

Lily smiled gently and put a firm hand on James' shoulders. The strength of her grip surprised James and made him turn to face her emerald green eyes. "He has you, James. And even though you may be an arrogant prick-"

"Thank you, Evans."

"- You are also one of the most loyal people I've ever encountered," Lily added with a smirk. She shocked him when she bent down and gave him a quick peck on the cheek.

James must've been dreaming, or on some strange psycadelics, because there was no way in Hell that Lily Evans would show him any affection in public. Merlin, he was just getting used to the idea of snogging her in private. But, then his senses kicked in. He noticed that no students were in the Common Room except for a fast-asleep second year with a textbook over his face, sitting in the corner. Sometimes, chance works in your favor.

"And you, Lily Evans, are quite the charmer," James said as he slipped an arm around her waist. He pulled down from the arm and into his lap, causing her to giggle softly. She fell into his lap a bit awkwardly but no one cared, especially since he was holding her princess style.

"Oh, Potter, don't I know?" She teased before he leaned down and pressed a warm kiss to her lips. It was perhaps their most tender kiss yet. They took their time exploring each other's mouths and unique flavors. He loved the way she squirmed, and she loved the way he would groan as a result.

James took the initiative to take things further this time. A hand slid down from her back and over her waist. She let out a tiny shiver when his calloused fingertips brushed against her exposed skin. But, she moaned when his hand went past the waistband of her skirt.

Recently, Lily had imagined a scenario close to this repeatedly. Of all the places to get felt up, she did not expect it to be in the middle of her common room. But hey, the best surprises are unexpected.

James pushed the flimsy material out of the way and slowly skimmed his fingers up her thighs. He relished the quiet whimper before he reached the fabric of her knickers. Bloody Hell, she was already wet. It was hard not to groan at that.

As he rubbed her core in firm circles, Lily tried not to wiggle in response. It just felt too good. But, a rational part in her brain kept reminding her that she was in the Common Room. Anyone could walk in: Marlene, Remus, Peter! Or, better yet, McGonagall. All options seemed rather mortifying.

But, another rationale popped into her mind. It reminded her that she was still a virgin. If Lily had any self respect for herself, she wouldn't let herself do such a thing in the middle of common room with a thirteen year old sleeping only meters away.

So, Lily had to do the responsible thing. She had to make him stop.

James' hand slid up to the waist band of her panties, and although it felt like heaven, Lily grabbed it in response. The two froze there for a moment: eyes closed, breathing heavy, and lips parted. It took a few seconds for one of them to speak; it was James.

"Sorry, Love," he panted softly, pulling his hand away. "Got a little carried away," he murmured, still holding her close.

"I-it's okay," Lily reassured. "Same here. It's just that we're, er, out in the open, y'know?" She didn't want to mention the other part, not quite yet.

"Agreed," James said clearly.

"Agreed."

"So…"

"So?"

"Back to snogging, I'spose?"

"You make it sound like such a terrible thing."

"I'm sorry, Evans, but do you suffer from Blue Balls?"

"… No, no I don't."

"Then, I don't want to hear it."

"We could stop snogging if that makes it better, Potter."

"Okay, just shut up."

And they did.

* * *

 **March 22nd, 1977**

Sirius Black returned to Hogwarts castle early in the morning. It was just before six-thirty, so students were probably still waking up and getting ready for breakfast. So, the young man took his time walking into the school's courtyard. He just finished up a smoke and tossed it before entering through the front entrance.

The boy felt drained. He had barely slept a wink in the past thirty-six hours. He had to deal with lawyers and gravemen, none of whom were particularly fascinating. Most of the people he interacted with treated him like he was a barely toilet-trained toddler.

It also didn't help that Sirius had to bury his only kind relative. He had to do it alone too. Being banished from the Black Family wall was a big deal to his relatives. If they wanted to keep the peace with Walburga, then they wouldn't show face. But, Sirius hadn't cared about his mother's opinion for a couple of years now. It only stung now because there was no one to mourn with.

"Sirius."

Sirius looked up from the ground – he hadn't realized that he was focusing on tiling. He was met with a tall, lean, and gorgeous Scotswoman with curly blond hair and glowing blue eyes. She had on a conservative smile and was already in her school uniform. He had known Marlene McKinnon for five years now, and she was never the early bird type.

"Marlene McKinnon, did your narcacisstic nightmares wake you early today?" Yes, Sirius was in this kind of mood this morning. He had every right in his opinion.

Marlene took it surprisingly well. She shrugged, "I knew you were coming back early this morning."

"Stalker Marlene," he said mockingly. "New."

"I wanted to show you something actually, if that's all right. Unless you're too tired."

Sirius narrowed his dark eyes at her. There was a sense of calmness in Marlene's voice that he was definitely not accustomed to, but he decided to give her a chance. Once he took the first step forward, Marlene turned her back on him and walked up the Great Hall. They moved together in silence, with him lingering a few steps behind her. The halls were silent with nothing but a slight breeze howling through the halls of the second floor.

Marlene looked back at him once they reached a classroom. She gave him another slight smile, which made Sirius' skin crawl.

"What?" He asked harshly. "Are you going to give me a lecture?"

"No, I leave that to my brother," she said as she pushed the door open to the music classroom.

The room was empty with chairs and music stands still stacked. Yesterday's music lesson was still on the chalkboard, and the music students must've been learning about Jazz Theory. Or, so Sirius could tell. He hadn't taken a proper music class since he had been living with his parents.

"Are you going to sing me an eulogy, McKinnon?" Sirius asked, bored. He plopped down in a lone chair and crossed his legs. He let out a long yawn, adding a bit of vibrato at the end.

"Not quite," Marlene shrugged as she lifted a cover. She unveiled a large cherry wood piano. It was a bit worn but it had a classic charm. She slowly sat down on the matching bench and looked over her shoulder. "Want to sit next to me?"

In an alternate reality, not to far from this one, Sirius Black would've been panting at the chance.

"I'm fine here," Sirius mumbled, skeptically. His uncle warned him about Scotswomen once.

Marlene scoffed, "Suit yourself, aye?" She cleared her throat and cracked her neck. If Sirius weren't so tired, he'd have an erection.

" _Sometimes in our lives we all have pain,_ " Marlene sang.

Sirius' heart may have stopped beating.

 _"We all have sorrow."_

Her voice was nothing like he had ever heard. To be perfectly honest, he always thought Marlene had a rather pitchy voice. He blamed it on her accent. But, right now, her voice sounded like honey: deep and smooth. It was a rich warm tone, making Sirius think of sunset.

" _But if we are wise._

 _We know that there's always tomorrow."_

Sirius couldn't even help but chuckle. "Lean On Me" was one of his favorites, and he'd play it all the time on the James' muggle record-player back at the Potter estate. He wiped a hand over his face and just watched Marlene McKinnon play effortlessly.

 _"Lean on me,_

 _when you're not strong."_

It was as if her voice lifted his concerns away. He literally felt a weight off. The relief made his eyes wet, but he was definitely not crying. Sirius got up and exhaled deeply before walking over. Marlene was just getting to the chorus, her voice getting livelier. Her eyes smiled at him, making it nearly impossible not to get closer to those glowing orbs of sapphire.

Sirius sat beside Marlene and let her finish the first chorus. Her fade-out ended gently with her fingers dancing at the keys, maybe even bowing. Refusing the encore, Marlene smiled.

"You know I can't give you the entire show," she said quickly, "just a solid sample-"

Sirius quieted Marlene with a long and hard kiss. Even if he could control himself, Sirius probably would've done it either way. But right now, his emotions, thoughts and hormones were in a bloody tizzy. He just needed her to do what he did before by singing: make the feelings go away.

Fuck a bet.

…

But Sirius couldn't. He pulled back from Marlene and furrowed his brow. It took him a moment to say, "Sorry." He was halfway sure that Marlene was going to make some half-arsed attempt at a joke about winning the bet due to her 'femme fatale' nature. Instead, she said something he would never expect, and it was just two words:

"Don't be."

Marlene grabbed him by the face and pulled him for another kiss, shorter but still passionate. When she backed up, she said, "As long as that's what you want… right now."

Sirius didn't think twice before pulling her back in, grabbing her close as if Marlene's breath suddenly became oxygen. It didn't take him long for his adrenaline to kick in, and Marlene felt the same. Their hands grabbed for each other, every part of each other.

A few thoughts of worry and backing-out crossed both of their minds. Both mentally wondered if they were using each other, but it seems like neither one minded being used.

Sirius slammed down the piano cover and somehow maneuvered his arms so that he could lift Marlene onto the piano ledge. Marlene moaned as Sirius slid a hand down to her waist and began kissing her neck. He even bit her a few times and soothed the marks with his tongue. The hand reaching for her waist moved down to the bare creamy skin of her leg. Marlene shivered as his hand moved up and didn't hesitate to pull down her thin knickers. He threw them into some darkened corner of the room before sliding further down to press kisses against her throat, her collarbone, and the tops of her breasts. With the help of Marlene, Sirius undid his trousers and finally released his length. It all became too much for Marlene, so she lolled her head back just Sirius Black spread her legs a part, positioned himself and finally took her all in.

* * *

Severus Snape took in Lily Evan's appearance, practically swallowed it in and then choked on it. She had this glow about her as she chatted with James Potter happily. It seems like what he said was pretty bloody funny because she was laughing her arse off. It was a real laugh too – shite, he could hear it all the way across the room as she ate her rice pudding.

Merlin, it made him want to fucking hurl.

Rumors were just that at Hogwarts, rumors. But, recently, in the past twelve hours, there was some news going around that Lily Evans and James Potter were snogging in the common room.

Now, Lily may have changed a lot in the past year. She's gotten soft, developed a poor sense of humor and men, and has learned not to forgive. But it was just bullocks if she were snogging the so-called 'giant squid.'

The bitch must've developed a love for ink, slime, or tentacle porn because there she was now, squirming around him like all the other birds would when concerning James Potter. Now, she was just like the rest. And if she was, she'd be heart-broken like the rest.

And, Severus Snape definitely did not care about Lily Evans. There was no part of Lily Evans he remotely cared about: not her, not her twat of a boyfriend, and none of her so-called friends. None of them: not Marlene McKinnon, not any of the damn Marauders, and not even his own housemate Dorcas Meadowes.

Severus Snape was done.

* * *

 _A/N - I hope you enjoyed! Let me know your thoughts or your feels in the reviews, follows, or favorites! Thanks!_

 _Rose_


	32. Chapter 32

**Chapter 32**

 **March 24** **th** **, 1977… maybe?**

 _Dorcas Meadowes stood in a field of dead grass, wondering how she had gotten to such a dismal place. The sky was gray, even for a Scotland spring day, and there was no one in sight. All that Dorcas could see was a broken down hut in front of her. Something about the ugly little thing looked so familiar._

 _There was no way that Dorcas would enter or even step closer to the house. She wasn't bloody stupid and had seen enough horror films in her sixteen-plus years of life. Fuck that._

 _"_ _Shit!" she shrieked. At least there was no one around to hear her make such a high-pitched noise, but anyone would if they saw what she saw. A large black snake slithered past him; it was as long as an Anaconda like the ones she saw on David Attenborough's nature shows. If the snake could be vertical, it was probably as tall as Hagrid, the Game Keeper._

 _The Snake slithered past her, hissing wildly. Dorcas fumbled away from it. Luckily, it wasn't after her, or maybe after anything at all. The snake instead circled around the small hut, as if it were guarding it. There was a part of her that wanted to say that she had no damn intention of entering that wreck._

 _The snake circled around until its body looped around the hut roughly four more times. It let out a terrible screech that made goosebumps run down Dorcas' arm. After it finished its scream of terror, Dorcas' eyes widened at the sight._

 _Snake babies, or so Dorcas assumed, crawled out of the house, letting out their own individual screeches. There were now three snakes, hissing and spraying their venom. One baby was large and most definitely angry; the other was still hissing but not as intensely as its sibling. The parent was the worst, still having its pitchforked tongue hissing._

 _It was such a disgusting sight that Dorcas wanted to desperately look away, but just as she was about to turn her head and walk away, one snake slithered out of the house. It was a tiny snake, a small and stealthy one, which crept away through the dead grass._

 _Dorcas stepped forward to the snake, wanting to know where it was going. She felt childish, like Alice following the Rabbit. However, she would not make it to Wonderland. The snake was eaten by a rabid one eyed, white fox. The do ate it in one gulp, just slurped it down._

 _Dorcas' breath hitched as she took a step back. The fox licked its lips when it was done with its meal. It let a high-pitched cackle, so high-pitched that Dorcas woke up._

Dorcas' eyes flung open as she lay in her bed, dripping with sweat. Her chest heaved, and her fingers clutched the bed sheets. She felt as if hell fire flames literally engulfed her.

Well, School wasn't much better.

Dorcas' dorm mates stared at her with wide eyes, clearly terrified by the external results of her dream. She gulped before asking them, "What happened?"

The three other girls did not respond, just stared and began to back away. Dorcas wanted to shout at them for their cowardice, but was more focused on Slughorn's arrival with Lucinda Talkalot.

"Thank, Merlin," Lucinda sighed heavily. She tugged on the sleeve of her Professor's nightshirt, like a tired child. "At least she's awake now. She was writhing in her bed, speaking Parsletongue too!"

Dorcas' jaw clenched, as did Professor Slughorn's. The large professor tried to hide the worriedness in his mind, but Dorcas could hear it loud and clear. Parsletongue was never a good sign, especially from students who've probably never heard the language spoken.

"I'm sorry, Professor," Dorcas said quietly, removing herself from her bed.

"Don't apologize, Miss Meadowes," he said hesitantly. "But, it's best we tell the Headmaster about this."

Dorcas looked to her dorm mates. For some reason, she expected some kind of attempt support. But, these weren't her friends. So, without any further hesitation, Dorcas reached for her gold shawl at the end of the bed and followed the professor out of the dorm.

* * *

 **March 25** **th** **, 1977**

As the Marauders sat on their individual beds in their dorm, Peter sat the most irritably. His short legs shook as he looked at the papers in front of him. There was a list of names, locations, and themes. Just looking at them made Peter's anxiety spike.

And this wasn't even his homework.

Peter looked up from his paperwork for the support his friends, but was met with nothing. Sirius was smoking a cigarette while flipping through the latest edition of the _Prophet_. Remus was snuggled under his covers with a Transfiguration textbook. And James was completely knocked out.

"Mates," Peter called to attention. "We've got to figure this weekend out."

"What's this weekend?" Remus asked dully. He licked his finger before turning to the next page.

Peter grunted, throwing up his hardworking lists in the air. He pointed to James' unconscious body and mouthed dramatically, " _BIRTHDAY._ "

"It's next Thursday," Sirius said as if it were obvious.

Peter made a face. "But, I thought we were having the party this weekend? I mean, next week Remus is going to be in full _Moon_ mode. Also, we have loads of exams next week for the end of the term."

Sirius and Remus exchanged glances, but said nothing.

"C'mon!" Peter demanded.

Sirius put out his cigarette into his ashtray. He gave his little friend an indifferent look and said, "James isn't a complicated bloke. Get him a sufficient amount of booze, weed, and a birthday cake; he'll be more than satisfied."

"And get Lily to pop out of the cake, he'll be ecstatic," added Remus. The thought of it made him cough a bit, but he did not linger. Instead, he re-focused on staying warm inside of his bed and away from the world.

Peter let out a long sigh. He was about to protest further, but he knew he would be met with irritation naturally. Not that he blamed his friends. Sirius grieved in his own way, and Remus dealt with the beginnings to his Moon. Maybe Peter longed for his own hardship, something to burden his mind instead of throwing his leader's seventeenth. Their lives were so unique, so unordinary, and so perfect.

Sometimes Peter really did wish to be like the Marauders.

* * *

Lily Evans wished for relief. Her tense body deserved some rest and relaxation; every girl does. But, she was tired: prefect duties, NEWT classes, and even friends. It was all becoming too complicated and hard on the body. She wanted release so badly that she wanted to be shot into space and see bloody stars.

And thank Merlin that James Potter was helping to make that dream become a reality.

The way James kissed her should've definitely been illegal; he literally took her breath away. Her chest heaved under his as they held each other on his bed. One hand held the back of her head tightly while the other was literally inside of her. Not the whole bloody thing, but two fingers pumped away inside of her. He kept hitting the spots. Her toes curled, and her grip on James' shoulders was almost painful. But the moment was too perfect for either one to stop at any moment.

Somehow times aligned nicely. Peter had to work on a muggle studies project in the library because he hadn't studied at all. Sirius went on a walk to clear his mind, or drink an entire bottle of Firewhiskey. And, Remus had to get out of his bloody bed; He chose the common room couch next. Since James had free crib, the opportunity was practically begging. And the two students had to take a chance.

And once again, thank Merlin they did.

Lily felt a familiar knot coiling in her stomach. She ripped her mouth away from James and let out a long moan. "J-James," she panted, "I'm going to, mmm…"

James groaned as he peppered Lily's neck with kisses. He bit down on her flesh lightly, trying to contain himself as Lily came. She shook, holding onto him for dear life. She tried not to scream, because the walls in this damn castle were so thin. It was a soft noise that made James' erection harder than a damn log.

When she finished her climax, Lily's grip relaxed considerably but she didn't let go of him. She still clung to him, holding him close, as she breathed through the aftershocks.

James pressed a soft kiss to her temple. He rested his forehead on top of hers and pressed another kiss to her nose.

"Ew," she chuckled softly.

"Ew, Evans?" he repeated sarcastically as he pulled his fingers out from her core. He stuck them in his mouth to wipe them, causing Lily to gasp in shock. She shouldn't have been surprised, because it was James Potter. "Really?"

Lily bit her lip and shifted her weight around a bit. She grazed her leg a bit, feeling his still rock-hard erection. She blinked up at him, her eyelashes fluttering delicately.

"Feel something you like?" James asked, wagging an eyebrow.

If he had said this at any other time, Lily Evans would've punched him in the throat. But, since he was shirtless and just gave him a much-deserved orgasm, he had quite a good point.

"And if I do?" She countered slyly.

James smirked, the crooked smirk. "You've always been the type to take matters into your own hands."

Lily blushed, or she could blame it on the orgasm. She reached down for the hem of his trousers, feeling goosebumps rise on his calloused skin. Maybe she could make him reach the stars too.

But how many girls had made James Potter cum before? How many girls gave James Potter a handy before? How many girls had lay in this exact spot with him? It was no secret that James was far from virginity, but Lily wasn't on the same boat.

"Oi, Lily, you all right?" He asked slowly, snapping her out of her inner interrogation.

Lily's fingers trembled, trying to reach for James' pants but just unable to do it. She closed her eyes and said, "I have something to tell you."

James sat up and gave a remorseful look. Did he already know her secret? He exhaled softly as he leaned backwards and onto his hands. "You're allergic to semen, I reckon?" He said.

"What?"

"Are you?"

"No!"

"Okay, worst-case scenario is out of the way," James sighed happily. He ruffled his hair and added, "What'd you want to say?"

Lily gulped, suddenly feeling lighter, but still ridiculous. Her stomach churned as she looked down at her hands.

"You can tell me," James said honestly.

"How old were you when you lost your virginity?" Lily asked quickly.

James closed his eyes and scratched his head. "Uh, a few days after my fifteenth birthday."

"Oh."

"Is that all?"

"No. How many girls have you slept with?"

"Slept next to?"

"Sod off."

"Shit, Evans, you asked the question."

"Yeah, I did. And you know I meant shagging."

"Innuendos are intentionally ambiguous, so expect a response accordingly. Come on, Lily, what's wrong?"

Lily rubbed her shoulders, suddenly feeling rather cold. She took a deep breath before revealing, "I've never done…" She couldn't even finish her sentence she was so nervous.

"Oh…"

Lily's head dropped.

"Any of it?" James continued.

"No, I've done, er, things."

James cocked an eyebrow. "What sort of things?"

"… Everything but."

"Oh. So, what's the issue?"

Lily shook herself as if she had just heard the War had ended. "What's the issue?" She repeated. "That doesn't freak you out?"

"No," He said honestly. "I mean, we all start with virginity, Evans. It's not that big of a deal."

Lily raised an eyebrow. "You really think that?" She asked. All the guys she's met, including her most recent ex, found virginity to be a strange territory. Some found it tantalizing in the creepiest ways, while others veered away 100%.

"I mean, everyone thinks about it differently," he explained. "Remus doesn't sleep with virgins, but he's also Mr. One Night Stand. Sirius doesn't care either, but he's also not very sensitive about it. I, personally, don't think it's my business to have an opinion."

Lily tilted her head. There was something wise about his words, but she wasn't sure she understood yet.

Once James realized that she wasn't going to respond, he added, "It's not that I'm indifferent. It's just that… well, it should matter to you, Evans, not me. I'm perfectly content not thinking about straight shagging. Clearly, there are other fun, very fun, things to do besides penis-vagina sex."

Lily groaned. Of course, he'd make it sound like that.

"So, if you want to shag, we can shag. If you don't want to shag, we don't have to. I'm really content just… doing whatever." He added a smile at the end, a genuine one. It was like the one he'd have while practicing quidditch in the courtyard or hanging out with his friends: it was real. And, Lily couldn't believe it.

So, she leaned forward onto her hands. She enjoyed the audible gulp from his throat. She kissed him gently but for a long moment. When she pulled back, she said, "I may have been wrong about you, James Potter. Very wrong."

"Love, don't I know?" He smirked before pulling her in for another kiss.

* * *

 _A/N - You know the jist: follow, favorite, or review! Let me know what you think!_

 _Rose_


	33. Chapter 33

**Chapter 33**

 **March 27th, 1977**

James Potter spent his birthday content. Before spending the better part of his afternoon procrastinating, smoking weed, and drinking Firewhiskey with his mates, he hung out with his cousins: both McKinnons. Max bought him a new set of goggles for Quidditch, and Marlene bought him new boxers.

 _"_ _Fucking why?" James asked irritably as the two cousins left Professor McKinnon's office. He shook the plaid cotton cloth at her face._

 _The normally hotheaded girl simply chuckled as she took the rather demeaning shake in the face. Once James was finished with his dramatics, she continued to smile at him, causing him to frown. "Why are you looking at me like that?" He asked shortly._

 _Marlene just continued smiling._

 _"_ _You going mental on me?"_

 _"_ _You wish."_

 _"_ _Then why are you looking at me like Jack the Ripper?"_

 _She shrugged and walked ahead of him through the hallway. Silence was never a good look on Marlene McKinnon. It meant something dangerous or something pure evil._

 _"_ _Why'd you give me this?" He demanded again._

 _Without looking back, Marlene explained, "Because I reckon you're going to need more with the rate you're going at, aye?"_

 _James stopped right in his tracks. He ground his teeth once before saying, "What'd you say to me, Marlene?"_

 _"_ _You heard me, Idiot," she scoffed._

 _James immediately caught up to her and tugged onto her shoulder. He swiveled her around and asked hurriedly, "How'd you figure it out? Did Lily tell you?"_

 _Marlene huffed. "Oh, please. Like hell she told me. That being said, you can practically smell the sex coming off you two. Well, it's not sex-"_

 _"_ _And how'd you know that?" James asked again, this time through his teeth._

 _"_ _Just because you're getting up-close-and-personal with Lily Evans doesn't negate the fact she's_ my _best friend. I know everything about the girl - including the fact that I know she's a virgin. And trust me, even if you both decided to keep your pre-shags a secret, I'd definitely know when she would loose her virginity."_

 _James blinked a few times, trying to keep up with everything his cousin claimed. He gulped and said, "Look, Evan is sensitive and-"_

 _"_ _I know, she's sensitive," Marlene retorted obviously._

 _"_ _Perfect, so all I'm asking is that you keep it to yourself, aye?" James insisted. "I don't want to ruin what I got with her… whatever it is we're doing…" He began to trail off, getting quieter and quieter._

 _Marlene chuckled again._

 _"_ _Why're you laughing at me, you sod?" James barked immediately._

 _"_ _Because that's exactly what a best friend wants to hear," she smiled. James didn't reply at all, but tilted his head. He watched as Marlene beamed at him – she hasn't smiled at him with this much joy since they were seven; it was when James got down her stuffed cat, Perry, from the roof._

 _"_ _You may be my cousin, James, and I love you dearly, always will," Marlene confirmed, resting a hand onto his shoulder. "But, if you hurt Lily, I swear to Merlin, Tituba, literally every magical being on the bloody planet, I will_ never ever _forgive you for it."_

 _James smirked. "Fair enough," he agreed. "Fair enough."_

 _"_ _Good," Marlene nodded. "So, you may keep the boxers. Oh, and Happy seventeenth, Cousin."_

James lay on his bed, naked with a sheet over his legs. Also, there was a long lean leg draped over one of his legs too. The leg belonged to the beautiful sixth year prefect. She was taking a bit of catnap, after coming twice. He was on the verge of a nap too, because she really took it out of him.

One year ago today, James spent his time shit-faced with his buddies in the woods. He would've never thought that on his legal birthday, he'd be spending it with Lily Evans in his arms.

"Mmmm…" Lily moaned. She stretched her arms and sighed. She blinked a few times before looking up at James. "Did I fall asleep?" She asked groggily.

"Just for a bit," He said, pressing his lips to the top of her head. "Kind of cute actually."

"Sod off," she grumbled, snuggling further into the crook of his arm.

"You even snored a bit, like a little calf actually."

Lily hit him in the chest playfully. It was a sweet image as James took hold of her wrist and pulled her in for a long kiss. "You're ruddy annoying," Lily murmured into the kiss.

" _Love,_ don't I know?" He laughed.

Lily smiled. "Happy Birthday, James." She leaned up to kiss him, with her hand on his cheek. He took a hand to her and kissed her back. Sometimes, James couldn't fathom how lucky he got. It was truly a spectacle. He wondered why Sirius and Remus never enjoyed having just one girl… friend.

* * *

 **March 31** **st** **, 1977**

Dorcas Meadowes usually loved the library. She loved the smell of old parchment, the cool draft from one slightly cracked window in the eastern corner, and the absolute silence. Most of the time.

But now that the Slytherin has been spending every free moment of her spare time coped in the ridiculously small space, researching folklore on snakes, she now detests the sight of Madam Pince and all the books. For the past five days, Dorcas studied harder than she ever has in her life. Not that she ever studied much ever since she had a photographic memory. No sight was new to the Slytherin. So, one would imagine that she'd find something useful on her house creature.

As she passed into the magical creature department, Dorcas found something actually new. And cute. Remus Lupin sat at a desk with the intention of writing or editing an essay. However, he must've lacked conviction or proper sleep since he was currently doing the latter. His eyes were closed, and he propped his head up by leaning against the wall. His shaggy brown hair flopped over his long eyelashes, and his jaw slacked a bit.

Dorcas never thought of terming Remus Lupin cute until this moment.

But it ended shortly, once he began twitching. It was like he had been electrocuted even – it was abrupt and severe.

"Remus!" Dorcas called out, dropping her books to the ground. She fell to her knees, catching his head before it hit the hard floor. "Merlin…" she whispered.

A few younger students emerged, watching in horror. Dorcas looked up and pointed at a wide-eyed student. "Go get Madam Pince! Now!" She shouted.

"D-Dorcas?" Remus asked, waking from whatever episode he just experienced. He blinked before his eyes darted around, reacquainting himself with his surroundings. "What happened?" He asked cautiously.

Although relieved, Dorcas' body was still tense. She turned to the same wide-eyed students and his whispering friends. "Go get Madam Pince," she insisted again. This time the students obeyed their upperclassmen and skittered off to find the librarian.

"Here," Dorcas said, cradling his head. "Let me help you sit up."

"Did I just have a stroke?" Remus asked, holding his heart. He settled against the leg of his desk.

"Looked more like a seizure," Dorcas explained. "You began shaking in your sleep."

If anyone else had told him this, Remus would probably freak out. But, Remus wasn't your normal sixteen year old. He simply rested his head against the wood and sighed, "Not again."

"Again?" Dorcas repeated. "You've done this before?"

Remus nodded. "James found me seizing in my sleep two nights ago. Poppy will want to run some tests again."

"Is this a… lunar thing?" She couldn't find the words to properly express herself. But, Dorcas did keep track of the full moons.

"No, it's not, but it may have to do with it. Or so Poppy assumes," Remus said casually, as if he were talking about the day. He hoisted himself up, holding onto the edge of the table. He collected his books and slid them back into his bag. He then noted the concerned expression on Dorcas' pretty face. If he hadn't been so tired, he would be very much pleased by such worry on her face. "Don't

look at me like that," he said.

"Like what?" Dorcas frowned.

"Like I'm an beaten puppy."

Dorcas' expression relaxed, and she almost even laughed. But then, Madam Pince appeared behind Dorcas, causing both students to turn and look at the anxious witch. "Mr. Lupin, would you like an escort? Maybe Miss Meadowes ought to take you?" She offered quietly, but was just as nervous as the students behind her.

"Maybe I ought to," agreed Dorcas, crossing her arms over her chest.

"I think I can manage across the hall, Doe," he said reassuringly as he plopped his bag over his shoulder. "My pride can only take so much damage," he said, patting her on the shoulder before walking past her.

Madam Pince and the other students scattered quickly, giving Remus an exit out of the Magical Creatures section. Before he could leave entirely, Dorcas called out, "Lupin, we have to stop meeting like this. Seriously."

Remus paused and turned back to her. "Are you asking me on a date, Meadowes?"

Dorcas was never the type to be outdone, but she was the type to be misunderstood. "I thought you don't date."

Remus smirked, "This is true, but I can break my own rules every now and then," before walking away, leaving Dorcas behind. There was no way a half-depressed, half-wolf teenage boy should be that cute.

* * *

Sirius Black looked cute as he sat on a rock. He kind of looked like a lone wolf, howling at the moon. But the boy was just singing in reality. He was singing "Show a Little Tenderness" by Otis Redding and banging on the rock, like Ringo on the drums. He was so adamant about his art that he didn't notice a figure turn up behind him.

"Sirius," the dull voice said.

" _Got to show a little tenderness!"_ He stood up on the rock and even began dancing. James Brown would've been proud.

"Sirius."

"Ow!" He added at the end, clapping his hands.

"Sirius, get the fuck down," Regulus Black demanded. "You look like a bloody spastic."

Sirius stopped his dancing and looked down at his little brother. Regulus Black, dressed in his robes and heavy trench coat, was just as handsome as the elder Black, but fuller than his brother. Sirius, whom had been occasionally starved by his parents throughout his childhood, looked a bit ganglier and was a little bit shorter than his younger brother. But, the rock made quite the difference.

"What do youuuu want, Brother o'Mine?" Sirius asked, now inspecting the grime under his nails.

"Come down here," Regulus said tiredly. He examined his brother once over and asked, "Where's your jacket, by the way? It's bloody freezing."

Sirius looked to the sky and shouted, "Oy, Uncle Al! You're right, he does care!"

"Right," Regulus sighed, pinching the bridge of his nose. "You're a functional alcoholic. You can't feel cold."

"Ha. Ha. Ha." Sirius said. He jumped from his spot on the rock and faced his brother, almost eye-to-eye. "Yes, very functional. Now, what is it you want?"

"Mum sent me a letter to give you to you," Regulus explained in a clear voice. He pulled it out of his coat pocket and handed it to Sirius, who did not take the enevelope.

"Why didn't you burn it?"

"Just read it."

"I'd rather tear out my own eyes."

"I'll help you once you read the letter. Now, will you just take it?"

Sirius reluctantly took the letter and then let it drop to the ground. "Content? Now, you can fly off like a good little owl and tell mummy you did her bidding. Off you go, Reggie."

Regulus rolled his eyes before turning around. He took a few steps back towards the castle with his hands in his pockets. He looked back at his brother and sighed, noticing that Sirius' singing continued. Regulus turned his back again and made his way. A part of him wanted to tell his older brother how he really felt, but he had a House meeting to attend.

Once Regulus was clearly out of sight, Sirius' singing turned into a dull hum. He cautiously reached out to the letter and sniffed it. He gagged a bit, sniffing the terrible overly-floral scent of his mother on the parchment. He ripped it open without much thought, unafraid because he could tell the difference between a howler and a complaint.

 _Sirius,_

 _Give your brother the owed inheritance from Alphard's will. He has big plans for the wizarding world and needs as much financial support as necessary. Half will do._

 _Walburga_

Sirius read it two more times before pulling out his bottle of Fire Whiskey. He then doused the parchment in alcohol. He placed it on the ground gingerly so that it would remain soaked. He then pulled out his cigarette tin and wand. He slid a cig against his lips and lit it up. The inhale was long before he tapped his wand against the parchment, setting it a flame like a bloody bonfire.

"Fuck your financial support," he said shortly.

Sirius watched it burn as he sang, "Smoke on the Water." He hoped that his mother was stupid enough to use a link charm on the letter, so that she could know when Sirius read it. He prayed that she at least felt a bit warmer now, or maybe she burned.

Either one was fine with him.

* * *

From the Hospital Wing, Remus Lupin watched the bonfire. Soon enough, Filch or Hagrid would come to put it out. Remus' green eyes travelled away from the orange flickering light and to the moon. It was so close to full that Remus wondered if his bones would start contorting.

Remus leaned his head against the bed frame and took a sip of his tea set out by Poppy. He began to flip through his _Magical Creatures_ textbook for the upcoming midterm, when the Nurse Ivy Yung appeared. "Hello, Lupin," the small Chinese woman smiled. "Anything I can get you?"

"Nurse Yung," Remus nodded politely, shaking the collar of his shirt. He suddenly felt warm. "Can you open a window for me please?"

"It's a chilly night out tonight," she said, trying to remain indifferent.

"I have many blankets," he smiled.

"If it's too cold, I'm closing it when I get back from the lou, understand me? Poppy wants a close eye on your health."

"Yes, Ma'am."

Nurse Yung nodded her head before leaving. Remus began to concentrate onto his studies again as he heard Yu's heels click away. He had a hard time focusing on the words – it's like his body was too energetic to lay in this bed. Normally reading would calm him down for sleep, but apparently, not today. Remus kicked the sheets off and gave them a little shake.

The little shake wouldn't stop though. He couldn't stop shaking – it felt like he was loosing control of his body. He grabbed his leg, willing it to stop, but it wouldn't work. "Yung! Nurse Yung!" He called out when his other leg began to shake.

And soon enough, Remus Lupin couldn't stop shaking.

* * *

 _A/N - I'm so sorry it's been so long. The end of the year was chaotic for me. I couldn't focus on the story since I had a lot of other things going on in my life in terms of work, school, and my social life. I hope you understand!_

 _But, it did feel good to come back to return to this story. There isn't much left, so thank you to everyone for sticking with it. Lemme know what you think in the comments, or by favoriting or following this story._

 _Happy New Year!_

 _Rose_


	34. Chapter 34

**Chapter 34**

 _April 1_ _st_ _, 1977_

Lily Evans and James Potter walked into class together. Yes, a few head turns but they didn't care because they both _came_ only ten minutes ago. Professor McGonagall eyed the two students suspiciously but also said nothing. Lily took her seat next to Marlene while James plopped down beside Sirius.

Lily was nervous about sitting next to Marlene because she was quite the interrogator. The blond knew what her ginger friend and her cousin were doing behind doors, but she gave them enough privacy. Lily imagined it would be weird for Marlene to be asking too many questions about her hook-up life, but that didn't stop her or Emmeline.

But toady was different. Marlene was too focused on someone across the room to ask questions about Lily's life. She followed Marlene's gaze and noticed she was staring at a very hungover Sirius Black.

"He looks like he needs liters of water and a day's worth of rest," Lily noted.

Marlene jumped a little. She blushed slightly before opening her books. "I was not looking," she said sternly.

"Of course not," agreed Lily. "You were staring."

Marlene glared. "Sod off."

Lily scoffed. She shrugged before opening her own notebooks and retrieving her class assignment. She pretended not to notice Marlene's continued stare at Sirius.

After Sirius and Marlene shagged that morning in the choir classroom, they shimmied up their clothes in silence. She smiled at him. He didn't. She made for the door, feeling embarrassed, stupid, and vulnerable: three emotions she detested. He turned her around her and kissed her one more, tenderly and softly. She held him closer. He did the same.

But, when they parted and left the classroom, they hadn't spoken since. What was there to say? Well, there were a lot of things to say ('let's shag,' 'let's not,' 'Oy") but neither one of them said anything. They'd just pass each other, making eye-contact for mere seconds before turning away. It was terribly… terrible.

James noticed a few more people walking in, but noticed one absent in particular. He was about to ask a lax Sirius but then another soft voice did it for him.

"Oy, where's Lupin?"

Sirius and James both turned around to see Dorcas Meadowes sitting at a desk alone. Her eyes were wide, and her hands were gripping at the edge of the desk; her nails left marks in the wood.

"Hospital Wing," Sirius grumbled dully, leaning his head on his hand.

"Hospital Wing?" James asked. "I thought he was getting out today."

"Had another, er, incident, shall we call it," Sirius grumbled, rubbing his eyes. It was like he was coming back to life.

"Incident?" Dorcas asked wildly. "You mean, that shaking thing? It happened again?" She was met with a nod, and rubbed her head in response. "Bloody Hell."

"It's getting worse," noted James. "This never happens during his time of the month."

Dorcas was about to add something, but McGonagall tapped her wand against her desk. She whisked her wand, making sheets float to each student, and added, "Pop Quiz."

"Ugh, _Minerva_ ," Sirius grumbled dramatically.

"And five points deducted immediately from your quiz, Mr. Black," McGonagall said firmly.

Sirius sighed, "I can respect that choice."

Once the bloody pop quiz and class was through, the students poured out of their afternoon class for the sake of it being a Friday afternoon. It was also the last day of midterms since the Easter Break was the next weekend. Students couldn't contain their glee.

"Lily! Marlene!" Emmeline called out from the hall. She was coming from the Divination Tower staircase.

"Em, it's been bloody ages," groaned Marlene. She pulled the smaller girl in for a large hug. "Did your Divination exam go well?" She crooned, patting her head.

"I think I did decent, thank you," Emmeline smiled proudly. "Now, listen up you two! Finals are over, so we all deserve a well-earned party. The Hufflepuffs are throwing a Kitchen party tonight."

"With the House elves?" Marlene asked skeptically.

"Yes, Rosie and I will do a duet," Emmeline deadpanned. "No House Elves. Mary and Caradoc are already discussing with them now. And they'll just be out until midnight, you know?"

"Where will they go?" Lily wondered aloud.

The dark-haired girl shrugged," Again, Caradoc is working out the details. I'm in charge of invitations."

"Looks like we have a Gatsby on our hands," Marlene smirked, giving Emmeline a nudge.

"Tell Dorcas for me too," Emmeline asked. "I didn't see her come out of class."

"Yeah, she ran out of our class," explained Marlene. "Didn't see where she ran off to, but we'll tell her."

"So, will you come? I haven't seen you lot in weeks. Please, please, please," Emmeline begged, blinking her eyelashes.

"I'm in," Marlene nodded. "I need to get blasted, and shagged. I need both."

"That's my girl," Emmeline said, patting her back. She looked at Lily and wagged an eyebrow. "And you, Mrs. Potter?"

Lily nearly choked on plain ole' air, while Marlene let out a low whistle patting her friend's hunched-over back. The ginger looked up and glared, "The fuck did you call me?"

"Oh, too far, I reckon?" Emmeline asked, smiling nervously.

"Did you just refer to me as his Mrs.?" Lily repeated.

"Oh, come on, Lils," Emmeline laughed. 'It's just a joke."

"Not a funny one," Lily glared.

Emmeline shrugged, "To each is own. If you're enjoying snogging him on the side, why hide it?"

"Because it's James," Lily hissed.

Marlene shook her head, pinching the bridge of her nose. "Some things never change."

"If the whole school knew suddenly, do you know how many questions I'd get? Do you know how times I would be called a hypocrite for avoiding him for so long? It's ridiculous."

"That's because you technically are a hypocrite," a voice said from behind Lily.

"Like clockwork," Marlene chuckled as James and Sirius approached them. "Go on, Lily, why're you hiding it again?"

"Sod off, Marls," James said. "You too, Emmeline."

Marlene and Emmeline stuck their tongues out at the tall Gryffindor. James felt rather good about himself and smirked, but that was before Lily nudged him in the ribs.

"I don't need you to defend me, Potter."

"Really, Evans?" He countered. "Because, I heard you stammering early."

"I do not stammer," she said shortly.

"Uh, y-yes, you d-do," he mocked.

Sirius let out a low groan and said, "I'm far too hungover for this squabble. I'll see you lot later." He stalked off irritably towards the Grand Staircase.

"Oy, Black, are you going to come over tonight?" Emmeline called out.

Sirius stopped and turned back. His eyes narrowed, maybe from the sunlight or just light in general, and asked, "Will there be alcohol?"

"Naturally," Emmeline said brightly.

James and Lily exchanged glances, both wondering if Sirius should ever drink liquor again. But they said nothing.

Sirius shrugged, "Why not?" He then turned around before leaving for the staircase again.

Emmeline clicked her tongue. "He seems out of sorts," she said softly, looking up to James.

"Yeah, definitely, recently too," agreed James. He didn't want to give too much away because more than anything, Sirius hated pity. But seriously, who does?

James also noticed Marlene's worry on her face. She seemed nervous to begin with, which was not her natural disposition. For people who knew each other for that long, you'd imagine that there were other times Marlene had worried about Sirius. Something changed, James decided, he just didn't know what.

* * *

"Miss Meadowes," sighed Madam Pomfrey. "I said no."

The Healer and the Slytherin student, roughly the same height, glared into one another's eyes. The elder one looked tired in comparison to the on edge seventeen year old.

"Miss Meadowes, you can blink at me with those big blue eyes as much as you'd like, but I still will not allow you to see him now."

Dorcas clasped her hands together rather loudly, causing Madam Pomfrey to jump slightly. "Just five minutes, Ma'am, I swear. I just want to see how he's doing."

"And I assure you, as the Head Healer, that Mr. Lupin will be fine," Pomfrey insisted, patting her hand gently onto Dorcas' shoulder. "I'll let him know that you stopped by when he wakes up. I'm sure he'd be glad to know that his girlfriend came to check up on him."

Dorcas' nose crinkled at the word-that-must-not-be-named. "I'm not his girlfriend, Madam Pomfrey."

Madam Pomfrey raised a brow, which literally came across as "who the fuck are you trying to play, child." But when the elder witch realized that Dorcas Meadowes was completely serious about not dating the unconscious lad, Madam Pomfrey simply murmured, "Youth."

"Pardon?"

"Darling, I'll let you know about his health the moment Mr. Lupin regains consciousness. Until then, I need you to return to your schedule." Madam Pomfrey, though small, pushed Dorcas with some surprising might towards the exit, shooing her like a moth "You're a sixth year, Dorcas, don't you have something to do or somewhere to be?"

Dorcas looked back at the tiny woman and reeled her glare in, but this was true. The sixth year could've been studying for her midterm for Magical Creatures or study up on some more serpents. Either one would suffice, but she definitely could not focus now.

"Please let me know when he wakes up," Dorcas said again, trying her hardest to sound calm.

Madam Pomfrey nodded again, this time with a smile. "Of course, Dear. Now get, before I develop latent agoraphobia."

Dorcas walked away with a little more confidence, deciding to trust Madam Pomfrey's promise. She looked back at the Hospital Wing entrance on more time before heading away towards the library to study, research, or anything to get her mind off of Remus Lupin.

The quiet and muddled voices in her head were no help either. It sounded like louder than white noise and a little more static. Her wall construction moved slowly with Max, but it managed at a steady enough rate for this noise to be increasingly more tolerable than the constant chatter before.

Dorcas was so focused on the health of Remus Lupin that even the noise couldn't distract her. as she walked into the library that she didn't even hear people thinking about her.

* * *

 _A/N - We're almost there, everyone! Thank you for everyone who has supported and enjoyed this story as much I have! I think there will be in total 2 more chapters, and I am debating on doing a seventh year continuation. It would not be as long as this story, but I still have to decide. If you are interested, please let me know in the comments section. It would mean a lot to me and help gage how many people are interested in such._

 _Cheers,_

 _Rose!_


	35. Chapter 35

**Chapter 35**

 _Still April 1_ _st_ _, 1977_

James Potter ashed his cigarette as he watched Lily Evans shimmy up her jeans. After she buttoned the top, she tucked a piece of hair behind her ear and looked up at him. She flushed slightly and asked, "What?"

James shook his head and simply let out smoke.

"I don't like it when you stare at me, James Potter."

"I beg to differ, Lily Evans," he corrected. He put it out on his tray and said, "You enjoy it immensely."

Lily thought about this for a moment as slipped on a white t-shirt. She sat beside him and placed a hand on his chest. She pressed a soft kiss to his lips – tender and slow – before pulling back and revealing, "I've warmed up to it a bit, I'spose."

He smirked, "Come here, impossible girl." He pulled her in for a long kiss, wrapping his arms around her even tighter this time. The kiss was long and desperate, especially now that she had somehow managed to straddle him. Although James just came only several minutes ago, he was fairly sure that he could manage another hard-on for her.

"James, stop," Lily giggled as he began reaching for the hem of her shirt.

"Why?" He asked into their kiss, refusing to let her go.

"I just put this on," she countered, pulling away.

"Oh, yes, Evans," he said, peppering her neck with wet kisses. "Dressing is so hard."

"With you around, it is, Potter."

Lily pushed him back onto the bed this time and gave him one long kiss. "I need to pack," she said simply.

"Evans running off schedule?" James asked, aghast. He clutched his forehead. "A catastrophe! Call the Prophet!"

"Oh, sod off, you twit," she said, hitting him on the shoulder. She slid off of him and reached for her socks. "Also, supper is about going to start soon, and if I'm getting blasted tonight, I need to have a full meal."

"Oh, the Kitchen Party?" James double-checked.

"Yeah, you going?"

"Naturally, Marauders always attend social gatherings."

"Then come down and eat with Marlene and me."

"What?"

Lily stood up straight and looked at him as if he were daft. "Don't you need dinner?" She asked simply.

James blinked. Of course, the idiot needed dinner because of human biology and the fact that he hasn't eaten since noon. Also, Sirius stole the last of his Chocolate Frogs. It was just a surprise that Lily Evans wanted to go places with him. It shouldn't be considering the fact that he just _ate_ her, but it still was.

"James?" Lily asked again.

"Yeah, Yeah," James nodded as he threw the sheets off his body. "I'm coming, I'll meet you downstairs."

"Okay," Lily smiled. She gave him another kiss on the cheek before skittering out of the room and back to the girls' dorm.

James couldn't help but smile as he dressed himself for proper dinner attire. He had a good life now that he had Lily in it. Well, truthfully, his life was going to shit. Sirius' alcoholism was hitting new highs, or lows, and Remus' lunar cycle may or may not be the death of him. But, James decided to look on the bright side.

James decided to give Sirius until after spring break to intervene with his habits, because let's be real. Sirius had to spend the better half of the vacation packing up and clearing out Alphard's flat in Manchester. James knew that when Sirius wouldn't be packing or cleaning, he'd be drinking his emotions away with a bottle in hand and a girl in another.

And the bloke needed it.

Remus, on the other hand, was a whole other situation. James had no idea how to help his furry friend with the full moon coming up in a few days. Remus never convulsed or had seizure-like symptoms before – this was new and terrifying. When Remus seized in bed last night, it was so quiet that James only woke up when Peter shouted for help. James even did more research in the library on lycanthropy, but nothing ever mentioned anything like this. Not even Madam Pomfrey could explain, or she wouldn't.

Once James got dressed, he found Lily, Marlene, and Peter waiting in the library, sitting on the couch.

"Peter," Marlene groaned, rubbing her hands over her face, "that's not what it's called. _Saxophone,_ not Sexaphone!"

Peter made a face. "I'm pretty sure Sirius said Sexaphone," he insisted. "Sirius said it's for couples in long-distance relationships, and it's how they shag."

"When did Sirius tell you?" Lily asked skeptically, trying not to make the bloke feel bad.

"The other day when we were listening to Benny Goodman," he said rationally.

"Yeah, well, Sirius was probably drunker than Homgsmeade's town drunk," Marlene snapped. "So, you can't listen to him. And honestly, who are you going to trust more when it comes to musical instruments? Me or him?"

Peter thought about this and shrugged, "I guess you now."

"Thank you," Marlene nodded shortly. She looked up to her amused cousin and said, "Thank you for joining us. Shall we be off?"

The three others followed Marlene out of the common room and through the halls. A bunch of students were headed towards the Great Hall for supper – rumor had it that roast beef was the main course.

As they made way, Lily noticed Camilla Henley walking with her friends. Truthfully, Lily always felt a bit rattled seeing Henley now – everything would suddenly feel tense. But, clearly, Camilla did not since she had her tan hand tucked into Dirk Cresswell's.

"Whoa…" Lily breathed, trying not to make a scene. She looked to James curiously, who noticed the same thing.

James chuckled. "I think they're rather sweet actually. He's had a thing for her since the beginning, if you ask me."

Lily raised a brow. "You talked to him about it?"

"Her."

Lily laughed, "James Potter, the match-maker."

"It's my side job," he shrugged.

Before they entered the Great Hall, the four friends were stopped by the elder McKinnon. "Oy, Marlene. James," he called out, coming from the behind the staircase.

"I said we aren't allowed to speak in public," Marlene hissed. "Especially outside of class."

Max ignored his sister's obscene demands. "Have you lot seen Dorcas per chance?"

"Looking for a pre-workshop snog?" Peter chuckled, a bit too loudly.

The three friends stared at him for his boldness, while Max simply just stared at his small student. He opened his mouth, but shook his head before addressing the three other students. "Dorcas hasn't shown up to our session today. Was she in your classes earlier today?"

"Yeah," Lily nodded. "She was in DADA with us, but I haven't seen her since then."

"After class, I think she went to the Hospital Wing to check on Remus," James said. "Or at least, I think so. She seemed worried about him."

"Ah, yes," Max said knowingly. "That would make sense. She worries about him a lot. And the rest of you, naturally."

Lily decided to keep quiet about how quickly her Apparation professor added that last bit.

"Including you too?" Marlene asked, wiggling her brow.

In response, Max flicked her sister's forehead and said dutifully, "If you see her, let her know that we should schedule a meeting over break."

Peter nodded, "We will."

"Thanks," Max said, before scurrying off.

Once Max was out of sight and hearing range, Lily asked, "You think your brother still has a thing for Dorcas, Marls?"

Marlene shook her head. "No, not really. If anything, his ego is probably bruised because Dorcas fancies Remus instead of fancying him. Especially since she's snogged him, and not Remus."

"Huh." Lily let out.

"Wait, you think Dorcas actually fancies Remus?" Peter asked aloud as they sat in front of their plates at their respective house table. A succulent-looking plate of roast beef appeared on each plate along with silverware and a goblet of pumpkin juice.

"Peter, you can't be this blind," sighed Marlene, shaking her head like a disappointed mother.

"No, wait, he's right," James countered as he took a large bite of beef. "You think Dorcas actually fancies him? Has she said anything?"

"No, but does she need to say anything?" Lily asked. "I mean, did you see the way she ran after him in class?"

James punched Peter in the arm. "See? I told him, but he doesn't bloody well listen to me. I knew those two should shag."

"It's well overdue," agreed Marlene.

The four Gryffindors turned back to glance over the Slytherin table. Dorcas wasn't there, but that wasn't such a surprise. Dorcas normally ate meals with them at the Red-and-Gold table or didn't eat dinner at all. So, they all turned back to their food. No one of them seemed to notice that the Green-and-Silver table seemed to mainly consist of students fifteen and below.

* * *

"Is everything prepared, Severus?" Mariah Avery asked impatiently. "We don't have time to waste – it's already 5:30."

Severus Snape would've rolled his eyes if he were not concocting a very important potion. He carefully brushed his delicate moonstone shavings into his bubbling caludron of bluish-gray liquid. "It'll be done in a few minutes, Avery. I know patience is hard, but it'd be duly appreciated."

Parkison peered over Severus' shoulder and sniffed, "It smells kind of rotten, like old food. Is it supposed to smell like that?"

Truthfully, Severus was not so sure of what his potion ought to smell like. He was tinkering with complicated magic. "I reckon it's not supposed to be pleasant. We're messing with a lot of biology here."

Severus added a few more ingredients before the liquid turned completely white, with a light consistency. It reminded him of warm milk. He gently poured it into a vile before presenting it to Parkinson. "Just two drops, Parkinson," Severus warned. "I mean it."

Evan Rosier looked at the concoction dubiously. "What happens if you do, say, five?"

"You will actually be committing a suicide mission," Severus said dully as he stood up from his station.

"Anything for the Dark Lord," Parkinson smiled, swishing the liquid around before placing it in his pocket.

Severus deadpanned, "May I take my leave now? I've done my part."

"You sure you don't want to join?" Alexander Mulciber asked as he swung his bag over his shoulder. "It'll be a night to remember."

Severus gathered his ingredients into his cauldron and said, "No, I do not." He turned his back on his friends and began heading towards the Slytherin kitchen.

"I assure you that Dark Lord will know of your part in this, Sev," smiled Parkinson. "You may finally help him complete his true reign."

Severus said nothing but simply kept moving forward.

* * *

By ten o'clock, the halls of Hogwarts were silent. Most of the younger students were already in their rooms, discussing plans for the Easter Break. The ghosts were busy sleeping or playing poker in the Transfiguration classroom like they always did on Friday nights. (Currently, the Bloody Baron was winning.) The Professors were either asleep or having their own late night cup of tea. It was peaceful.

Except there was an incessant clucking noise on the first floor by the Hospital Wing.

Sirius Black was sober, but very annoyed by this fact. He decided to curb himself from reaching into his pocket for his small firewhiskey by clicking his tongue at the roof of his mouth, like a bored child.

He made his way to the Hospital Wing in an attempt to steal Remus Lupin from his bed chamber and demand his appearance at this stupid stoner Hufflepuff party. He would demand that he not seize so he could finally work up the bloody courage to shag Dorcas Meadowes.

Maybe even in a broom cupboard like they had a few months ago. That was besides the point.

"What is that- Mr. Black!" Madam Pomfrey reprimanded. She was in her night dress with a robe wrapped around herself. She had a spectacles on and glared at the seventeen year old boy approaching her. "Mr. Black, it is far past curfew! What're you doing out this late? Are you looking for detention?"

"No, no, never that," Sirius said quickly. No matter how debatable that answer was, Sirius quickly got himself out of that pickle by saying, "I only wanted to check on Remus."

Madam Pomfrey raised a brow. "At 10? You had the whole day, Mr. Black."

"Remus gets lonely at night." And nightmares. And ocassional sleep paralysis.

Madam Pomfrey held the bridge of her nose and sighed. "I'm going to tell you this because I know that Mr. Lupin is a dear friend of yours. Am I right?"

"Yes, Ma'am."

"But, you have to listen to everything I say, understand?"

"Understand."

"And I don't want you conducting any mischief with this information, Sirius Black, or forget about Dumbledore favorism and I will manage you myself, clear?"

Sirius raised an eyebrow. He challenged the Healer with a single nod. "Crystal, Professor."

* * *

 _A/N - Hope everyone has enjoyed! There will be one chapter left of this fic, and I'm still contemplating on the sequel for a seventh year storyline. Heads up, it would be much shorter than this one (I never expected it to be 35 fucking chapters)! But, I do have some ideas that I'd like to explore. Again, let me know if you're interested in the comments or with a favorite! All is appreciated._

 _Rose_


	36. Chapter 36

**Chapter 36**

 _I KNOW I'M AWFUL! 5 months later, I finally finish it off. I wasn't trying to be suspenseful or anything - I was busy with finishing up the spring semester. Also, I felt a lot of weird anxiety about finishing my first story ever, not even just fanfic. It was weird seeing something finally finished. There were bumps along the way, but I can't believe I actually got to tell this entire story. If you've been following this story, thanks so much! It truly means a lot to me. I appreciate it soooo much! I hope this ending fulfills or settles you readers in some way or another!_

* * *

 _Still April 1_ _st_ _, 1977_

Some say that the Hufflepuffs is the dullest house of Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. Some consider them to be the lazy ones or the push-overs. Others call them the stoners. Despite whatever one believed about Helga Hufflepuff's long line of students, no one could deny that they threw a nice party.

The Kitchen was a large rectangular cellar in the basement of the castle. Most of the island wooden tables in the center had been moved aside except one in the middle with an ivory and crème sheet placed over it. There was spread of wines, cheeses, bread, chips, and a bunch of other snacks and booze. There was even a double-layered strawberry shortcake in the center with sparkling candles. The Beatles' "Lucy in the Sky with Diamonds" boomed through the cellar. It was like a dream birthday.

Sirius Black sucked his teeth as he entered the room of sweating and drunk teenagers. It was out of resentment because Sirius was sweating for an entirely different reason. He had just run (Sirius does _not_ run) to the party - not for booze, sex, or drugs, but for people: _his_ people.

Sirius wafted through partially naked bodies and curious odors and eventually found his best mate in the midst. James Potter was spinning Lily Evans in circles, smiling like God bestowed the speckled idiot with a holy favor. It was a special thing, seeing James that elated. Only a few things could make James Potter smile like that. And truthfully, Sirius didn't want to be the reason to take it away.

But pricks before chicks.

Sirius slithered through the crowd and tapped James' sweaty shoulder discretely. When that didn't work, Sirius let out a quiet and ineffective "ahem." He rolled his eyes because clearly, they were both intoxicated beyond reason. For Merlin's sake, Lily was publically grinding on James like it was some go-go club in London's East End.

Sirius decided it was the final straw when James spun Lily around. He was going in to snog her, and once he got to that intimate point, there was no separating them. "Oy! Okay, okay!" He said, physically pushing the two apart like a parent chaperone at a debutante ball.

"Sirius," James hissed, spraying his friend with an embarrassing amount of saliva. "This better be g-good." Oh, the Quidditch Captain was mighty drunk.

"Oh, it is," insisted Sirius.

"Is it better than Evans actually dancing with me in public?" James countered.

"Hey, I'm right here," Lily said obviously, punching James in the arm.

"Mate, I'm all for your public displays of affection, but right now we got a problem. A furry one."

"A fire-y one?" Lily asked, squinting her eyes like that would make her hearing somehow better. Merlin, she was drunk too. Now Sirius was talking to two horny drunk imbeciles.

James understood it. He stood a little straighter and scratched his head – a sign of concentration. " _It's_ not supposed to come for another three days," he said quietly.

"Yeah, well, Pomfrey said she saw a tail forming before she left him in the shack."

"Bloody Hell," James said, wiping his hand over his face.

"Are you lot referring to Remus?" Lily asked as she took another swig of her cocktail. It smelled a lot like firewhiskey and pumpkin juice.

Sirius and James both gave Lily a look; it was like Lily had just spoken Parsletongue or revealed her true form as a devil. The shorter of the boys recovered from that shock quicker and said, "I'm not even going to ask how you know that bit of information, or why you seem to know so many of our secrets, because that seems like too much of an ego blow for me."

"Remus' 'problem' is a bit… obvious. I mean, a sick mum? Is that the best he and Dumbledore could come up with?"

"That part is actually true," James said softly.

Lily blinked. "Well, now, I'm officially an arse."

"You're not that much of one," Sirius said quickly. "Anyway, can you do me a favor then? It'll help your guilt ease."

"Of course," Lily nodded, excited by the idea of an assignment.

"Go find Marlene for me."

Lily blinked again. "I don't see how this will help Remus' early predicament."

"Find her and her brother."

"Why?"

"Because I need a ligilmens to find Dorcas Meadowes."

"Whoa, whoa," James said putting up his hands. He took his friends out of the crowd because now things were just getting too out of hand. Once they were in a less-populated spot, James finally asked, "What the fuck is going on? I thought this was about Remus."

"It's a little more complicated than that," Sirius said, taking a deep breath. "All right, I'm only saying this once. So, stick with me, all right? It seems like it's too much of a coincidence that on the same night of Remus' early shift that Dorcas isn't at this party. Something smells… _reptilian_ , if you ask me. Also, have you noticed that there aren't of those Slytherin gits at this party? Like where's Mulciber, Avery, and Parkinson?"

"They could've just not been invited," James said simply.

"It's already midnight," Sirius countered. "If Parkinson isn't busy doing whatever is he currently doing, then he would've already been here to break up the party. Because he's a gigantic git."

Lily was too drunk to refute, and simply nodded her head in unison.

"Also, Dorcas is now friends with your lot, so she's always invited to everything."

"Maybe she's sleeping?" She offered. "You know she has an erratic sleep schedule ever since she wrecked her head by opening her mind's eye, or whatever. Then, there's the additional fact that Voldemort –"

"Merlin, Lily," James grunted at the name.

"- is trying to break her from the inside out for some reason. She's _tired_ ," Lily finished, waving her hands around. Perhaps she thought the extra movement made her seem more rational.

"She may be tired, but as a fellow budding alcoholic, I know for a fact that Dorcas would've been here, or at least made an appearance to snatch some free booze," Sirius finished as if it were obvious.

She was about to counter, but Lily saw the look on Sirius' face. The normally handsome boy looked anxious as he kept grabbing for his collar. His leg was shaking too. Lily had seen a pissed-off Sirius, a drunk Sirius, a malicious Sirius, but never a scared Sirius. He was genuinely worried for his friends.

"Okay, I'll go get her," Lily said, putting a reassuring hand on Sirius' shoulder. She looked to James and then back to Sirius with a determined look. "I'll meet you lot outside, by the Forbidden Forest?"

Sirius and James exchanged glances. It's not that James didn't trust Lily; it's just that he never expected to tell anyone to meet him before entering the Shack. "Whomping Willow," he corrected.

Lily raised a brow but didn't question it. She instead simply nodded before running off into the crowd.

Sirius looked to James, watching him watch her run away. "She's about to see a lot of shite she can't _unsee,_ James," he noted. "You ready for the consequences?"

James closed his eyes and then opened them after a long moment. "We don't have a choice – we got to find Remus."

* * *

Dorcas Meadowes enjoyed choices. She was the type of girl (since a very young age) that did not like to be limited. As a child, she had to live with lots of people telling her exactly what to do: how to sit, how to eat, and how to not act like a bloody freak. It caused a lot of mayhem and acting out, but mainly that kind of life created an opinionated person.

So, with all of that, Dorcas had a clear issue with being tied against a tree in the fucking Forbidden Forest. Her shoulders felt strained for being so open, and her wrists turned a bright red from all the friction. Also, the girl's ego had sunk to a new low. Who got hit with a sleeping spell while already napping? That was cruel and unusual.

The worst part of it all was that she had been there for more than thirty minutes, and her captors still had not shown their faces. When would the bloody cowards show their faces.

Dorcas' legs shivered as a gust of wind flew by, so she curled them into her chest. She looked around her surroundings and finally saw some movement. Or, maybe that was wishful thinking.

In an attempt to hear better, Dorcas closed her eyes and listened for unspoken voices. It defied her training with Max, but seeing as she was captured, there was no choice but to use _all_ of her senses.

At first, there was nothing. Just wind. But the wind howling slowly turned into static, like the radio did on stormy nights at Hogwarts. Through the static, Dorcas heard a voice: a loud and dull voice. Worst of all, it sounded familiar like she had been in this head before. She shut her eyes tighter, trying to listen on in. But instead, she got a visual – it was herself tied against the tree. Seeing herself helpless made her shiver, but it made her watcher excited… _aroused_ even.

Dorcas felt like vomiting.

"I know you're out there, Evan Rosier!" Dorcas declared over the gusts of wind.

The feeling in the boy's head twitched from arousal to anger. _Good,_ Dorcas thought, _the angrier the stupider._

A dark clothed large body appeared out from behind a tree. Dorcas tried not to gasp seeing her housemate in a Death Eater's uniform: mask, cloak, and hat. Although she was not surprised, she could not lie that she was fucking terrified.

"How'd you know it was me?" Evan asked as he walked closer to her.

"You kidnapped me," Dorcas countered, trying her best to remain level, "You must know what I am."

"You are an abomination and a disgrace on this house," he spat. Saliva actually hit her in the face, almost in the eyes, and Dorcas has never felt like lobotomizing someone until now.

"I could care less what you think, Rosier. You _disgust_ me. Every part of you."

"Don't you want to know why you're sitting here, tied up against this tree?"

Dorcas knew he had a point – she should figure out why she was stranded here. But, she didn't want to give him the satisfaction on waiting on him to make the big reveal. "I don't need your words to tell me," she said sharply before kicking him directly in the knee.

Evan let out a sharp, loud grunt of pain as he fell to the ground. He cradled his knee and scooted away from Dorcas. Since he was distracted and would be for the next few moments, she utilized this opportunity to force her way into the deepest parts of his mind. Not that it was too deep to begin with.

Dorcas saw what Rosier had done. He snuck into the girls' dormitory with the help of Avery and cast a wickedly strong sleeping spell on her. Avery pulled Dorcas out of the room by her arms, tossing her over onto Rosier's shoulder. Using an invisible charm when necessary, Rosier managed to sneak out of Hogwarts castle undetected before tying her up against this very tree.

But, Dorcas needed to go further than that. She only saw action, not motive. She concentrated harder, enough to make her head throb. As she went further into Rosier's mind, she found him conspiring with two other blurry figures. They quickly became clear: Mulciber and Parkinson. Dorcas couldn't make out any other words besides the Shack and Lord Voldemort.

As she tried to clear out the muddled thoughts, Dorcas lost her vision and was replaced with a burning sensation like no other. She screamed as her mind went blank, only able to concentrate on her pain.

This was the cruciatus curse.

* * *

"F-fack Black, and curse his entire family lot," Marlene McKinnon garbled as she took another shot of Firewhiskey. She threw down the empty glass bottle in a trash bin as she strode down the castle hallway quickly alongside Lily Evans.

"Marlene, will you hurry up?" Lily insisted, picking up her speed.

"I mean, of course the bloke has to need my attention when I'm snogging Cattermole," grumbled Marlene. She let her curly blond hair down from her ponytail to hide the red marks on her neck. "He must have ego-meter the size of his prick."

"Okay, gross," Lily said absently, trying not to think too much about Sirius Black's penis. They reached Max McKinnon's quarters and banged on the door loudly. After a few moments, the young professor appeared in a pair of sweat pants with a rolled cigarette on his lips. He had a book in hand: "The Art of War."

Max immediately glared at both of the girls, but focused on his younger sister. "This is definitely against some sort of academic moral code. You reek."

"And you reek of tobacco and weed," Marlene countered hotly, "nobody is perfect, Max." She smiled like the Devil.

"It's past midnight," Max sighed. "Whatever it is, it better be good."

"It's Dorcas," Lily said firmly, knowing that would be enough to grab the Professor's attention. And it did.

"What happened?" Max asked quickly, standing a bit taller now.

"What is it about Dorcas that make blokes think she constantly needs saving?" Marlene asked, completely serious and completely irritated. "I doubt her cunny screams 'damsel-in-distress.'"

Max ignored her, knowing that she was inebriated beyond saving, as he shoved the door open wider for the two girls to come in.

"She's missing," Lily explained quickly. "And we think it may have to do with an impeding full moon."

He looked up with wide eyes as he put on his boots. When he noted the gravity in Lily's green eyes, he moved faster with his laces. "The moon isn't full tonight," Max noted absently as he threw on his sweatshirt.

"Pomfrey had to move _him_ to the Shack," Marlene continued as she drank some water from her brother's goblet. She too already had some preconceiving notions about Remus' monthly trips to visit his ill mother. In her subtlest fashion, she'd openly read pieces from the _Alchemist Archive_ about Lycanthorpy in front of James during family holidays to see if he'd ever spill the tea. Instead, he'd just shut up and find an article about Quidditch or music.

Max took a final hit from his spliff before closing his eyes and really inhaling. Lily wanted to question if mixing drugs with ligilmens would be beneficial in such a pressing time, but Marlene put her hand up. She gave Lily a look saying, _Let him work._

After a moment, Max's eyes popped open and smoke poured from his nostrils. He grabbed his wand and said, "She's by the Shrieking Shack, the north side by the tracks." He was out of the door in seconds.

"How the hell…" Lily whispered, following after him.

"T-tobacco increases one's control of their ligilmency," Marlene explained, panting from even the slightest movement. "Why do you think Dorcas smokes _so_ much?"

* * *

"Please, Mary," insisted James as he followed Mary MacDonald and Emmeline Vance around like a lost puppy. He clasped his hands together as if he were praying to a God he did not believe in, "It's extremely important."

The Hufflepuff girls exchanged glanced before stopping to look at the extremely impatient James Potter. They were both a bit crossfaded and their vision was a bit blurry, but that didn't mean they were _entirely_ stupid. James barely spoke to them outside of the presence or when discussing a certain redhead. But now, his nervousness and the quickness in his words made them nervous too. Also, his pleas were intense.

"Can you at least tell me what I should say to Dumbledore?" Mary asked skeptically. "And do I really need to involve Caradoc?"

James let out a huff. He had sent Sirius ahead to get Peter, so that the two could go be with Remus. He'd join them in a minute. If Sirius' speculations about MIA Dorcas were true, he'd need help from the Headmaster. Kidnapping was a capital offense, and he wanted to oust Dorcas' captors, or the Anti-Usupers, for good.

"Tell him that there is a problem with the shack regarding _the_ Slytherin student," he replied urgently. "Caradoc can get you the password into Dumbledore's chamber."

"There are literally hundreds of Slytherins," Emmeline countered irritably. "Can we be a little more specific."

"Trust me, he'll know," James said. "Now, can you two do this for me? I'm begging you."

Emmeline and Mary exchanged glances once more, but eventually Mary said, with a slight smile, "Go, Potter. We'll get Dumbledore and Caradoc. You go do… whatever mischief you need to do."

James let out a sigh of relief. "I always manage my mischief, Mary, and thank you," he said before dashing off to join his friends.

* * *

Peter Pettigrew made an excellent rat. He surpassed through the Whomping Willow's branches with ease. If James and Sirius were excellent fliers, Peter was an excellent dodger. Once he hit the knot at the base with his tiny paw, the tree mellowed allowing Sirius, as a large black dog, to run towards the tunnel entrance. He only paused to allow Peter to climb up his hindlegs and onto his back. Together, the rat and the dog sped through the tunnel towards the Shrieking Shack.

After three years of learning this tunnel, Sirius ran with ease. He was much faster as a dog in comparison to his human state. (Again, Human Sirius didn't run.) The black dog maneuvered past ditches and vines to reach the other exit in a matter of minutes.

Once they reached the dark ending, both animals could hear the howling and screaming from the shack. The shrill noise ricocheted through the trees, leaving a familiar echo in this distance. It sounded like a madman tearing out pieces of his own skin.

Well, that's exactly what it was happening to Remus Lupin. The Marauders hadn't seen Remus transform with their own eyes, because Remus says, "it's _fucking_ personal." They've heard it plenty of times, and tonight, it sounded worse. The screams were louder and more frantic. It made the boys tense, and they found themselves bursting through the shack's already broken door.

Sirius and Peter were planning on transforming back to their human selves, hoping that may help Remus calm down. Normally they would never dare to but since pre-lunar transformations were happening, they thought all bets were off. However, the creaky ceiling and the shakes coming from upstairs quickly foiled those hopes.

The boy upstairs was no longer a hormonal sixteen-year old or their friend; he was just an agitated beast. The beast howled into the night right before the banging stopped. The dog and the rat hesitated before moving up the failing wooden staircase; the silence unnerved them. The canine could feel the rodent quiver with fear as light footsteps creaked upstairs.

Around the corner, the beast slowly appeared at the top of the stairs. Werewolves were generally feral and terrifying creatures, visually, but in the presence of other animals, they were perhaps just a bit easier on the eyes. However, now the wolf was salvating and panting. It looked hungry.

If the black dog could've talked, it would've said, "Fucking Balls," before running out of the shack with the rat on its back.

* * *

"Fucking men," Dorcas grumbled as she rolled her eyes.

Evan Rosier was caressing his knee, still wounded (physically and emotionally) by Dorcas' accurate kick. He glared at her and had a clever comeback that never got out since two more figures appeared in this distance.

"Why the fuck are you on the floor?" Mulciber asked, trying to contain his laughter.

"The bitch kicked my knee in," grumbled Rosier. "Look – I think it's swollen."

Parkinson ignored his housemates, while Mulciber just laughed. The seventh year prefect bent down to meet Dorcas eye-level. The other two housemates did not scare Dorcas in the slightest – they did repulse her – but it was Parkinson who actually scared her. He was quiet, cool, and calculative. Dorcas imagined that this is what evil looked like.

"I've seen the Dark Lord before," Parkinson said, casually as if discussing the latest edition of the Prophet.

"Poor you," Dorcas muttered, trying her best to remain unphased by the close proximity.

He continued coolly, "He reeks of power, standing in his presence is like standing before a god. You can feel his greatness – it's in his blood."

"Why am I tied up, Parkinson?" Dorcas had already tried entering Parkinson's mind for information, but he had a defensive mind, incredibly more so than Rosier. It was like looking through a frosted window, only blurry movements and no clarity.

"The Dark Lord wants all of his new disciples to learn at least some form of occlumency, especially the ones in Hogwarts. He doesn't want Dumber-dore or anyone else getting into our heads. Especially you."

"You might need to up Rosier's game," Dorcas suggested.

"Yes, this I know," sighed Parkinson. He peeked back at a whining Rosier before rolling his eyes. "Not much in there to hide."

"Why is _He_ after me? I want nothing to do with him – I don't want to take over his stupid army of inbreds and blood supremacists. I have nothing to do with Mason Nagut."

Parkinson blinked at her a few times, as if she had spoken an entirely foreign language. He looked back to Mulciber and Rosier in shock before laughing. He found Dorcas' words to be so amusing that he even bent over clutching his stomach. The other two joined in after a moment too.

"What?" She shouted. "He has no relation to me at all, except for attacking my mother."

Parkinson wiped a tear away with a handkerchief from his pocket. His laughed died down before saying, "The Dark Lord does not agree. You have everything to do with Nagut. Everything, Meadowes. You are Nagut's blood."

Dorcas gulped and decided to stay quiet. She wanted to shout at the idea of sharing blood with the man who literally destroyed her entire life by creating it. But, she also needed answers, and this time she had to wait for them.

"Have you ever heard of the Sacred Twenty-Eight?" Parkinson added tauntingly.

"Of course I have," Dorcas said impatiently. "You lot can never shut up about it."

"Yes, we are a proud bunch-"

"It's a ruddy stupid list if you ask me. I mean, what's-his-name forgot a lot of families. The Potters and the Cattermoles aren't even on there – how legitimate can it be?" Before Dorcas could get an answer, she let out a yelp. It was high-pitched and even shocking to her, because Holy Shit, she had just been smacked across the face.

" _Shut. Your. Mouth. Meadowes,_ " Parkinson said through clenched teeth, holding her chin so that she had to look him in the eyes. "You have no idea how important this is, the gravity of that list."

Dorcas' jaw remained clamped. She ripped her face away, refusing to be held by this sociopath.

"There is a name on there that is long gone – they say the family has been extinct for almost fifty years," Parkinson said, standing up. He stood a little taller this time, rolled his shoulders back and began to pace. "They say they were the last heirs of Salzar Slytherin."

"That's a big claim," Dorcas muttered through her teeth.

"The last name is Gaunt. This is the _Lord's_ surname."

Dorcas raised her eyebrows but kept her gaze lowered. She reasoned that this was why Voldemort had such a large stick up his arse. According to old pureblood mythology, Voldemort was a prince.

"There are no more Gaunts besides the Dark Lord," Parkinson continued to explain. "And the Dark Lord prides himself as the heir, as did many of the Gaunts did. But alas, he believes he is wrong about being the final heir."

Dorcas finally looked up to meet Parkinson's eyes. She ground her teeth before asking in a calm, yet shaky voice, "Nagut was…."

"You're a smart person, Meadowes, albeit a dirty one," smirked Parkinson, like a condescending profressor. "I've seen your marks during the OWLs. Come on, put it together."

Dorcas' mind raced because she was ruddy tired of this game. There was no point in trying to enter in his mind because it was too well-guarded. So, she just used her natural resources, remembering psychoanalysis books she had read during boring summers.

Voldemort was most definitely homicidal sociopath. Sociopaths normally lack in interpersonal connections, or pursue their actions based on a faulty interpersonal connection. Maybe Voldemort's only connection to magic was based off of being a Gaunt. That'd be sad. But, he would protect it. So, if he thought that there was another Gaunt, a competitor…

"Nagut…" Dorcas murmured softly. As she finally said the name, the vision of the serpent-wrapped house appeared in her head. "Nagut is an anagram for…"

"For _Gaunt_ ," Parkinson smiled, clapping his hands together slowly.

Dorcas couldn't breathe, and it suddenly felt like a bunch of rocks were being thrown at her chest. Before she had time to scream, before she had time to cry, before she had time to have bloody identity crisis, Dorcas heard a howl. It wasn't a wolf or a coyote; it sounded too loud, too feral, and too damn close.

"Oy," Mulciber said, patting Parkinson's shoulder. "Here is yours." He passed his elder classmen a small vial of ivory liquid. From what Dorcas could see in this night, she noticed it was thicky and pasty with chunks. Parkinson popped the cork off and gulped it down in one shot. The two others groaned at the taste, while Parkinson just shrugged.

"What's that?" Dorcas asked quickly.

"A nice concoction our friend made for us," Parkinson said coolly. He chucked the vial to the ground and added, "A bunch of different ingredients, but the most prominent one is Wolfsbane."

Dorcas' eyes widened. Like clockwork, another howl echoed through the forest. It sounded closer this time. "The M-moon isn't not coming for another few days," she whispered. She didn't want to acknowledge how desparate she sounded.

"We had that altered as well," smirked Parkinson. "We have some very talented youth in Slytherin House. Well, your paternal ancestor's house."

* * *

 _A/N - And there's a part II to this chapter. Hope that makes up for lost time!_


	37. Chapter 36 Part 2

**Chapter 36 part 2**

 _There was far too much to do in this ending to keep it in one chapter, so I split it up to give it the space I thought it needed! Please let me know what you think of this ending in the reviews section. This story, in its way, means a lot to me and I would appreciate the comments - good or bad. Thanks for sticking through!_

* * *

Lily Evans had never seen the Shrieking Shack so close in the dark. Yes, she remembered that time she had nearly kissed James in there, but that was during the day. At night, she could see why the villagers of Hogsmeade genuinely believed that it was haunted. Not only was falling apart, but it also looked like where a psychotic murder resided during the breaks between his murder sprees. It could've come right out of a Grimm's Fairytale.

"Fucking Hell," Marlene McKinnon gulped. She planted her feet further into the ground. "The Shack is where Remus stays during the Full Moons?"

Max McKinnon nodded, but wasn't really paying attention to his younger sister. His focus remained on finding Dorcas Meadowes, but he felt lost. His telepathic link to the student kept shifting. "She's supposed to be here," he said shortly. "She's supposed to be here."

Marlene scoffed shakily. "Well, she isn't-" her rude comment was silenced by a loud howl. It made the three of them freeze in their tracks. Once the terrible noise faded, Marlene added in a hushed voice, "Is that _him_?"

"Who else would it be?" Lily asked, trying to keep the mood light.

"I shouldn't have brought you two," Max said quietly. He motioned for them to follow him deeper into the woods.

"May I remind you, Brother, that we brought you here," Marlene spat.

"And I should've locked you in my office," Max replied. "I'm going to get fired."

As they moved timidly through the forest, the night returned to a quiet state. Not even the wind rustled against the leaves. For just a second, Lily considered this night to be her last night on Earth. She imagined a large wolf attacking her, ripping her to shreds and killing her. Or even worse, biting her without killing her. And even worse, the wolf would turn into her dear friend at sunrise. She banished the thoughts before they could make her shiver anymore. And she nearly jumped out of her skin when a warm human hand grabbed at her shoulder. It was a firm hand that spun her around.

"Bloody Hell, Evans, I told you to meet me by the Whomping Willow," James Potter snapped, trying to keep his voice quiet. He ruffled his hair anxiously before pulling his wand out. "You nearly gave me angina."

Once she calmed her erratic breath, Lily smiled at the boy. She wouldn't admit that she was rather amused by James' genuine concern, but this was the most inappropriate place for such a confession. In her gentlest voice, she explained, "Max had a link to Dorcas, and I didn't want him to lose it." She smiled before saying, "Sorry. How did you find us anyway?"

"None of you were on the Map," he said, patting at the folded parchment in his breast pocket. He saw his two cousins and said, "Thanks for coming out."

"Thank us after we make sure Remus doesn't kill and or turn Dorcas, or any of us for that matter," Marlene quipped. Her sharp tone was even nastier than usual, which was a clear sign that the blond was terrified.

"She's close," Max said quietly, still scanning their dark surroundings. "And she's scared…. Hm, that's interesting though."

"What is?" His younger sister asked.

"There are other minds out here," Max murmured, tilting his head a bit. "Some are a bit foggy, some are distant, and some are… wow, I've never felt this before."

"Remus?" James asked.

"Probably. It's like listening to an entirely foreign language. Like animals."

And on cue, there was a long and resonating howl coming from the north. It was so intense that the leaves shook in response. The four friends immediately stopped, as if praying that it would prevent the beast from seeing them. As if he were a T-Rex instead of a Werewolf.

"This way," Max whispered, following the noise.

James and Lily followed closely behind with Marlene in the back. She was about to comment on the hypocrisy of trailing a lycanthrope, but knew better of it. She instead chose to calm herself down by humming Stevie Wonder's Superstition. She only stopped when she heard the howl again and accompanying feet.

"That's more than one animal," Marlene said, grabbing onto James' arm.

"There she is!" Max called out in the front. He ran forward to Dorcas, who was still wrapped around a tree. She had one hand freed and the other caught onto some thick rope. Her free hand was red and tender, with blood dripping from the side of her wrist. "Holy shit, Dorcas, are you all right?" He immediately began helping Dorcas remove the ropes.

"You shouldn't be here," she said, staring up at them with wide eyes. It looked like she was talking to ghosts, not her friends. "Remus is out here!"

"We know," Lily said, helping with the untying process. "But, we also knew you were missing."

"It's more complicated than you think," the brunette insisted. "Seriously, you lot shouldn't be here."

"Who brought you out here?" James asked. He kept a viligant eye out for any bystanders or animals.

"Rosier brought me out here. I woke up tied to this tree, and then Mulciber and Parkinson came out here too," Dorcas explained. She took a deep breath before adding, "They were dressed in Death Eater cloaks."

"Fucking Hell," Marlene grumbled.

Once the ropes were off, Max helped Dorcas stand up. "Did you see where they went?" He asked.

"No, but they drank some weird potion. For some reason, I think it masks their scent from Remus."

"Weird, I've never heard of it. Either way, we need to get you out of here," Max insisted. "And the rest of you lot too."

"I need to do something," James said, backing away from the group.

"You need to bring your skinny arse back to the castle, James, and I fucking mean that. Let's go."

"I've got to help Remus," he insisted, his voice getting firmer.

"And how the fuck are you going to do that? It's not a fucking hippogriff - it's a bloody werewolf. And he ain't Remus either. That side of him is gone until the night's up-"

Dorcas let out a painful scream. She immediately tried to soften it by pressing the back of her hand into her mouth. Her other hand was clutching her head before slapping it against her forehead. The sight was horrifying, so much so that Marlene gasped at Dorcas' extreme movements. Max took her into his chest, trying to muffle her scream further.

"What's wrong?" Lily asked, placing a gentle hand on her shoulder.

"He's, He's, oh my god," moaned Dorcas, rubbing her temples. "It's true, all of it."

"What is?" Marlene asked.

"Voldemort, he's my…" she couldn't finish her sentence. It was too raw, like an open wound. But, she also had a hard time completing her thought when she saw something in the distance. Her eyes widened.

The rest of the lot followed her gaze, following it directly behind Max McKinnon. The trees rustled as if a great gust of wind occurred. The ground rumbled, and in the distance, you could see two figures running. One was large and standing on its hind legs. The other was significantly smaller, but quicker. They were coming in close.

"Get up," James insisted, grabbing Lily by the wrist to stand up. Max did the same with Dorcas. "Go, move!"

The five friends scrambled over their feet and began jog away quietly. The large of the figures running slowed its pace. Its head moved back and forth in different directions, sniffing the air. It stopped as it glared in their direction.

The smaller creature stopped running and began to bark wildly at the predator. It was egging the Wolf on.

"The hell is going on," Marlene muttered, pulling at her cousin's sleeve. She would never categorize Remus Lupin as ugly until now. She bit the inside of her cheek so hard that she nearly broke skin.

The Wolf hunched down and sprinted at the group. It moved faster than a broomstick, with its limbs stretched out and barely grazing the ground. The smaller animal, which was a the black dog, also followed after it.

"Run!" shouted James. "Go, go!" He demanded, pushing Marlene and Lily to follow Max and Dorcas. Instead of following his human friends, he turned and bolted for the Wolf.

"James!" Both of them yelled. Lily was about to run after him, but Marlene pulled her back. "Are you fucking mental!" Marlene asked.

"No, but he is!" shouted Lily. "Come back here, Potter!"

"Just go!" James shouted back without looking back. James and the beast were no more than a few meters a part. The animal let out a ferocious growl and snapped his teeth, prepping himself for his oncoming prey.

"POTTER!" Lily shouted as Marlene had to move her back physically. The blonde moved her friend closer to Max and a huddled Dorcas, who looked like a trauma patient at St. Mungo's. Marlene was in tears as she watched her cousin run towards the beast. She knew it was just a distraction, but how much could he do? He was just a seventeen year old boy.

Well, James Potter could do a lot.

When James was close enough to the beast, he bent his knees down into a deep lunge. He sprung into the air, getting more air than anyone could've expected, and while he flew, something incredible happened.

"Fucking Hell," Lily breathed as she watched her current snog-buddy's body contort into something else entirely. He grew fur, a snout, and antlers seamlessly, as if he were changing into his Quidditch uniform. As the transfiguration completed, the Stag's hind legs shifted forward, kicking the Wolf right in the snout. The lycanthrope whimpered as it fell to the floor.

Marlene's mouth blubbered like a fish out of water. She tried to form words, and luckily, Lily made them audible. "Animagi." The ginger said the term as if it solved millions of unsolved questions.

Max was the only one calm (enough) to concentrate on the larger issues at hand. "They may be animagis but we are not," he said, pulling on his sister's arm. "Get yourself up and move. We don't know how long they'll be able to distract Remus."

"We can't just leave them, Max," Marlene said softly.

"Yes, we can," her brother encouraged. "James can take care of himself. I have a feeling that dog isn't just a _Black-haired_ mutt either. We have to trust them."

Marlene protested her brother, while Lily just stared in shock. She watched as the Stag and the Dog beat the Wolf into submission. They were doing an adequate job of taming the beast, until the Wolf shoved a lanky arm into the Dog's side, pushing the smaller animal into the side of a tree. Lily jerked in response, and without hesitation, Lily jumped into action.

However attention called elsewhere.

"Not so fast, Blood Traitors… and Mudblood," Evan Rosier said, in a subpar menacing voice. His burly frame appeared from behind a large tree with Mulciber at his side. Their wands were at the ready, and their affiliation for the Dark Lord was clear. Their masks covered their faces and muffled their words.

Lily had her wand in her hand already, ready to help the Dog. Mulciber pointed his wand at her and said in a short voice, "Don't do anything stupid, Evans."

"The only thing that's stupid is daring to threaten a Professor," Lily countered. "You'll be expelled."

"I welcome expulsion if it means serving the Dark Lord," Mulciber hissed.

Max stepped forward with his hands in front of him, as if he were surrendering himself to the two students. "Boys, this does not have to happen," he said in his calmest voice.

" _She_ must die!" Rosier shouted, pointing his wand directly at a curled-up Dorcas. He looked at Dorcas as if she were a cockroach. "She threatens the throne of the Dark Lord."

"Just because she's Nagut's heir?" Marlene asked. "You lot need to get over this! Just because she's some psychopath's offspring doesn't mean anything. Dorcas was raised by muggles!"

Rosier let out a bark of a laugh. "She's more than that," laughed Rosier. "She's his-"

Before Rosier had a time to finish his explanation, he fell to the ground by a stream of blue light. He lay limp on the ground, groaning in pain. The small girl was surprisingly quick for someone who had just been kidnapped. She had Max's wand in her hand and a look on her face that meant pure rage. "I am nothing of his," Dorcas said in a lethal tone.

Mulciber was quick to retaliate and aimed a curse directly towards Lily, who dodged it artfully by jumping out of the way. Marlene pulled out her wand and threw a stupefying curse in Mulciber's direction, but missed just by a hair.

Max grabbed his wand out of Dorcas' hand and spun her around. "You have to get out of here," he pleaded. "They're after you, Doe."

Dorcas looked up to her mentor, tired and confused. She considered moving for a moment, but before she could make a decision, Max was on his back after being hit with a stunning spell. He lay motionless on the ground. Dorcas called out his name, bending down to wake him up. She looked up to see the attacker, Parkinson.

"Meadowes, the Dark Lord will always be coming for you," Parkinson explained in a cool tone. Although he seemed calm, he still had his wand pointing directly at her face. "He won't give up. So why not just end this now?"

Dorcas stayed down while Marlene dueled Mulciber, and while Lily dueled Rosier. Her gaze shifted to the three shifters using their bodies instead of magic. If she gave up, they'd be safe from the Usupers – a trio willing to utilize the evilest magic.

But saving them from the Usupers wouldn't save anyone from Remus.

"If Voldemort wants me dead so badly," Dorcas said, standing slowly, sliding Max's wand out of his hand, "he'll have to do it himself." She whisked the wand, producing a bombarding curse the Prefect's way. He dodged swiftly, just tilting to the side. The bang was loud, and the effect was large enough to put Mulciber and Marlene on the ground.

In the chaos, Parkinson sent a quick and stealthy curse at Dorcas. The light at the tip of his wand was a tawny brown color and hit Dorcas' wrists, turning to rope. Dorcas' wrists were already sore and tired of rubbing from earlier. Despite her fear, she still threatened, "I will _break_ your jaw if you touch any of them."

Parkinson just scoffed as he turned around and petrified Marlene, who was crawling towards her wand. Dorcas almost screamed at the sight. "I can't waste pureblood, not even from a blood traitor. Evans, however…"

Lily, too preoccupied with Rosier's assault of spells, did not see Parkinson whipping up something nasty. Despite wandless, Dorcas did not hesitate to run and body slam Parkinson into the ground, just in the nick of time. His spell hit the adjacent tree instead of Lily. Somehow Dorcas managed straddle over Parkinson's back, and she hit me swiftly in the back of the head. It didn't stop him, but it was enough for Dorcas to reach for his wand. She struggled with the rope, and in that time, Mulciber grabbed her by the hair.

"First, your mudblood friend will die," Mulciber whispered into Dorcas' ear as she struggled. "Then, your boyfriend will rip you to shreds. It's a good night to be alive, innit, Meadowes?"

Dorcas used the force of both of her arms to elbow Mulciber in the gut. It was a good hit, but not enough to make him let go. By this time, Parkinson was already making his way up to his feet. His perfectly slicked hair was now dishelved, strays of his dark hair askew, and there was light droplets of blood dripping from the base of his head. Murder was at his fingertips.

Dorcas watched carefully as he raised his wand, hoping that her facial expression did not change. She didn't want to give him the satisfaction. He turned away from and aimed it swiftly at the Dog's legs. A bluish light hit the dog, causing him to howl in pain. It was a terrible high-pitched noise before it stopped for good. The dog was no more, but Sirius Black lay on the ground – knocked unconscious. The Stag, distracted by his friend's state, got the next hit from Parkinson, causing the animal to stagger until it fell to the ground. When the stag turned back into James Potter, the teenager had bleeding cuts along his body, like his entire body had been through a paper cuter.

"James!" Lily shouted. She held back whatever fear she had and turned it into raw power. She casted one last curse at Rosier, putting the large boy onto his back. She ran over to a limp James, but immediately stopped at the sight of the Wolf approaching her.

"Get back, Lily!" James shouted, trying his hardest to stand up.

Parkinson let out a deep sigh of relief. "I've been waiting for this moment for a very long time."

"This has nothing to do with her," Dorcas said, her voice becoming a pleading sound that she hardly recognized. "Leave them out this, Parkinson!"

The Wolf let out a vicious snarl at the sight of Lily. The saliva drooled from his mouth, and the beast smelt of death. Lily tried backing away slowly, but she was now too visible, too clearly the prey in this hunt. Her mind, due to the adrenaline pumping through her brain, began to race.

She was going to die. She was going to die a virgin. _Motherfucker_. Well, then she should die for a cause, right? What can she do in her final moments to make this whole moment suck less?

Lily turned around on her heel without a second thought and aimed her wand at Parkinson. " _Bombarda!"_ She shouted, pushing the Slytherin to the ground

In this moment, things moved quickly. Dorcas elbowed Mulciber in the groin and grabbed his wand, petrifying him just before he could kick her. The Wolf ran towards Lily, causing her to bolt faster than a snitch.

"Lily!" She heard James call out. The ginger had no time to call back after him, saying that she would be okay. She was too out of breath for such romantic nonsense (even though she wanted to desparetly). She only stopped running when the Wolf let out a yelp. She finally turned her head around to see the Wolf limping after being hit with a blue light.

Dorcas, still bound with rope, held onto Mulciber's fat wand. She was bending over, clearly exhausted from the kidnapping ordeal, but still had the face of a warrior. Her eyebrows were furrowed, and her blue eyes were lit with ferocity.

"Dorcas," Lily breathed.

James had finally gotten himself up and held himself against a tree. "Meadowes, get the fuck out of here." When he realized that the brunette had no intentions of running, he muttered, "psychotic bitch" under his breath. His gaze turned towards Lily, who was equally terrified, and was making her way over to him slowly.

"Remus," Dorcas said, in her calmest voice. Despite sounding tranquil, Lily and James noticed her shaking hands. "I know you are in there. I know it's still you."

The Wolf snarled.

"It's me. It's Dorcas."

Another snarl.

"She's barking mad," Lily said quietly once she got to James. She put one of his large arms over her shoulders to support his weight, but didn't look at him. James couldn't blame her because they were about to watch their friend die. But, he was thankful, in a way, that it was not Lily in Dorcas' place.

"And I know you would never hurt me, Remus. I know this because you care about me. And I care about you."

It sounded oddly like a confession but neither James or Lily said anything.

Dorcas took another deep breath before saying, "So, pull your fucking shit together and leave this spot before you kill us."

The Wolf, just for a glimpse of a moment, looked like Remus Lupin. The expression softened from anger to guilt and confusion. Remus saw Dorcas, but it didn't last long before the Wolf let out another outrageous howl. He ran at Dorcas, who tried to conjure another stupefy curse, but did not have the time or energy. She dropped the wand and ran, but did not make it far before the beast slashed at her back.

"DORCAS!" the two gryffindors shouted.

Lily slithered out of James' side, in an attempt to run to help her friend, but James pulled her back. "She's going to die, James!" Lily shouted, tears now running down her face.

"And so will you!" shouted James, "and I'm not letting that happen!"

Lily tried to rip her wrist away from James' grasp, but she couldn't. Not with her feelings taking over her strength. She just turned back to watch as the Wolf lingered over Dorcas' limp body. It sniffed her before licking its front teeth. He moved back, preparing himself to dive into its prey.

"Oh, God," Lily cried.

Just moments before the Wolf prepared itself to taste human flesh, it was put on its back by two lightening spells. It pushed the Wolf back against the trees as Dorcas Meadowes shifted her weight onto her knees. The Wolf let out a nasty yelp as it slid down the tree

Professor Dumbledore waved his wand, using large circular motions, before casting a soft blue rain from the sky. The rain was intentional though, and it only landed around the Wolf. Once the rain stopped falling, it created a transparent dome over the Wolf. The beast tried to pound its body against the shield, but it did not work.

While Professor Dumbledore worked, Professor McGonagall and Rubeus Hagrid helped Dorcas sit up. Behind them were Professor Slughorn and Mr. Filch, both holding two different colored potions: a murky gray potion and a soft lavender one.

"You all were very lucky tonight," McGonagall said without looking at any of the beaten students. She took the gray vile from Slughorn's shaking hands. "You ought to thank Miss Kim and Miss MacDonald for getting to us so quickly. You could've been killed. Or turned for that matter."

"It wasn't our fault," James said. He wanted to raise his voice and point to his opponents, but his body was too weak.

Professor McGonagall had heard that excuse before and was tired of it. She had a good counterargument but stopped when Dumbledore put up a hand. He was watching the Beast thrash, pace, and howl. "It is a long night, Minerva," he said quietly, then looking at an unconscious Rosier and Mulciber. "It's best we let Mr. Potter and Miss Evans rest."

"Yes, Professor," McGonagall said, regarding her tired students. "I'll bring you two back to the Tower. Hagrid, you'll take care of the two unconscious ones? Bring them to the Hospital Wing? Horace, please wake the McKinnon siblings."

"Yes, of course," agreed Professor Slughorn. "Undoing petrification was always my specialty in terms of charms. Did you know that I won an award for my timely approach in Salem back in '59…"

No one listened to Slughorn ramble, but no one stopped him either. Who could blame him for his anxious need to divert the topic of conversation? Three of his students abducted their peer and tortured her with intentions of sacrificing her to the Dark Lord.

"Make sure Poppy puts restraint charms on Mulciber and Rosier, Hagrid, We have already sent word to the Ministry, and they should be here within the hour." Professor McGonagall said as she bent down beside a quiet Dorcas. "This will sting, Meadowes."

"It's fine," Dorcas said, deadpanned. The potion poured onto her wounds created a sizzling noise that made Lily cringe. However, Dorcas didn't flinch, she just stared at her hands, which were the only support she had from falling back down onto the ground. Her back was bare and covered with drying blood. The scratches that the Wolf left on her were deep, but luckily short enough not to have hit Dorcas' spinal cord. It was centered more towards her right, and it was in a diagonal motion.

"Mr. Potter, Miss Evans," Dumbledore said as he approached his students. "You did a very brave thing coming out here to find Miss Meadowes."

"She's our friend," Lily said quietly.

"She is," the Professor said with a smile. It wasn't a happy one, but one that helped the Headmaster express himself in ways words could not. It was one of guilt.

"It wasn't just Mulciber and Rosier though," James said, determined. "Parkinson was here too."

"Parkinson?" Slughorn said after undoing Marlene's petrification spell. "Oh, Merlin's beard!"

Marlene gasped deeply for air and immediately backed away from her Professor and towards a tree. Her eyes darted from side-to-side before Professor Slughorn announced, in a gentle grandfather-like voice, "It is over, Miss McKinnon."

She gulped, "Right. I just need a minute, aye? Is my brother alright? Sirius?"

"Max will need the Hospital Wing," Professor Dumbledore explained over the sizzling noise of the potion on Dorcas' back. The young witch was taking the healing very well, because it sounded ruddy awful. "Sirius is a bit beaten, but he should be fine. He'll need a night's recovery, that's all."

"And perhaps a liver donation," McGonagall muttered under her breath.

"Good," Marlene said in a short, yet clear voice. She stood up from her position against the base of the tree gingerly. One hand held herself up. "I'll kill Parkinson, no offense, Professor."

"I will send a search party for Parkinson immediately," Professor Dumbledore said.

"Get Aurors," James insisted. "Or the Hit Wizards!"

"I will, but I must ensure that all of us get back to the castle promptly. You and Miss Evans will return to the Tower while Miss Meadowes recuperates in the Hospital Wing where she and I will have a private discussion-"

"I'm not going anywhere with you," Dorcas said firmly.

"Miss Meadowes, this is the Headmaster you are speaking to," Professor Slughorn said, mildly outraged to have a student sound so disrespectful.

"I don't care," Dorcas said as she looked to Dumbledore. There were tears in her eyes, but they did not fall. "You lied to me."

"Dorcas, this might not be the time for such a discussion," Dumbledore said softly, as if he were trying to apologize.

"When will be the right time? The next time I'm abducted by his followers? Or one of my friends gets murdered because of me?" She countered. There was no inflection in her tone, but her voice was sharp and clear, like a sword.

"Do you want to do this in company?" He said, motioning towards James, Lily and Marlene. The three students stared wildly, like deer in headlights.

"They're my friends," Dorcas said shortly. "If you have something to say, you can say it in front of them. I'm tired of being lied to, and I want the truth right now."

"And you will get the truth," Dumbledore agreed. He motioned for Mr. Filch and Hagrid – the caretaker put Sirius in a wheelbarrow while the Keeper of Keys lifted the two unconscious Slytherin students. "You need rest before you absorb this information."

Dorcas' jaw locked visibly. She stood up, wobbling and looked like she was about to punch a tree or anything within her sight. After a moment of mental meditation, she asked, "Do I at least get to smoke on the way there?" She asked, pulling out her cigarette tin.

Marlene and Lily tried their best not to guffaw at the blunt question. James couldn't help but say aloud, "Can I have one?"

Dorcas threw him her tin after she picked out her own. She lit it without getting permission from the professors, but it seemed as if they did not care. She began walking, very slowly, back towards the castle. Dumbledore was not far behind her.

"Professor _Dumbledore_?" Lily called out.

"Yes, Miss Evans?" He asked, turning around to face his student.

"What will happen to… _him_?" She asked, jerking her head in the direction of the thrashing beast. In the corner of her eye, she noticed that Dorcas stopped walking but did not turn around.

"The defense charm only lasts until the sunrise," he explained. "When Remus is once again Remus, the charm will lift and I will attend to him then."

"It wasn't the full moon though," Lily said, as if it were a question. "How will you know if he will return to his normal form by night."

"The Potion used on Mr. Lupin has very intense but short-lasting effects. It is often called the New Moon potion, and it is very illegal. I will devote much of my time to figuring out which student mixed it. But first, I must attend to Miss Meadowes." The old professor walked away, following several footsteps behind Dorcas' smoke cloud.

Marlene stood up and brushed herself off. She looked at Professor Slughorn appraisingly and asked charmingly, "Do you have anything that could possibly help pain relief? Like something that could help me to sleep? I just went through _a lot,_ Professor."

"I don't know if it's proper for me to administer medicinal potions to students, Miss McKinnon," Professor Slughorn said hesitatntly.

"Professor," Marlene said, in her best spokeswoman voice, "this night may go down in Hogwarts history. I want to remember the night accurately, and I want to be able to remember which professor un-petrified me so aptly."

Professor Slughorn rubbed his chin and let out a long hmmm, before McGonagall glared at him. She then moved over to James and Lily who were trying to figure out a decent walking pattern.

"Would you like help walking, Potter?" McGonagall offered kindly. "Or will Miss Evans do more than fine?"

James looked down at Lily. She had a bit of dirt smeared on her face and clothes, and her red hair was a tangled mess, but she still had something that made her glow about her.

"She does more than fine, Professor," James smirked.

"I will let go of you when you least expect it, Potter," Lily countered shortly.

"All right, you two," Professor McGonagall sighed, already irritated by their incessant bickering. "Go, just go." She turned towards Marlene, who was still trying to cajole her potions professor high-quality potions.

When they were out of listening range from their professors, Lily looked up at James. He was trying to figure out how to light his cigarette, with only one usable hand. "So, you're an animagi."

"I'd prefer if you never repeat that out loud," James said, once he finally lit the thing. He slid his wand back into his pocket.

Lily nodded. Her mouth shifted before saying, "It takes wizards years to master that skill."

"It took me three," he explained, letting out some smoke. He probably felt very cool in this moment. "Sirius and I spent most of our vacations and study hours figuring out the mechanics, but we managed. All bits in tact and whatnot, wouldn't you agree?"

Lily ignored the innuendo and said, rather drably, "They'll expel if they ever find out."

"So, again, never aloud would be highly appreciated."

"I won't," Lily promised with a nod. "But…"

"But what?"

"A stag, James?" She asked, slightly in disbelief. "I mean, seriously?"

"Lily, I'm king of the bloody forest."

"King of the idiots."

"Being King of anything is fine with me, thank you."

"Well as long as you're not King of Lung Cancer," Lily smirked before snatching his cigarette and tossing it on the ground. James' gasp was inaudible underneath the crushing noise of the grass.

"Dorcas rarely shares her cigarettes! That's cold, Evans. Even for you."

Lily smirked before pressing a sweet kiss the line of his jaw and smiled, "Love, don't I know."

* * *

 _A/N - There's going to be short epilogue, but that's pretty much it! Thanks again for sticking through with me. It's been a long project for me, and I thank all of the followers for encouraging me to push on! I will be writing a sequel, but it will be significantly shorter. I never expected this fic to be this long honestly! Let me know what you think! And thank you again everyone!_

 _Rose_


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